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Hate Crime: Internet

Asked by Jim ShannonDemocratic Unionist PartyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled Answered 1 April 2026UIN 123185

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to tackle online hate speech.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan

The Online Safety Act requires platforms to tackle illegal content and protect children from harmful content, including that which is hateful and abusive. For large user-to-user platforms, known as ‘Category 1’ services, it will also provide adult users with more protections from hate speech by offering them more choice over the types of content they engage with, filter content from non-verified accounts and hold platforms to account for their terms of service. Ofcom have robust enforcement powers to enforce these duties.

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