Written question asked by Alex Chalk (Conservative) on Thursday, 26 October 2017, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 30 October 2017. It was answered by Matt Hancock (Conservative) on Thursday, 2 November 2017 on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Video on Demand: Hate Crime

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to protect people from offensive and defamatory online broadcasting content.

Answer: Online TV channels licensed by Ofcom must comply with robust rules in the Ofcom Broadcasting Code on harmful or offensive content. Video-on-demand services within UK jurisdiction are subject to higher level rules which focus on harmful material, for example prohibiting incitement to hatred. More widely, as part of the work on the Digital Charter, the government is considering a range of options to counter internet harms. This includes an Internet Safety Strategy, published on 11 October, which considers the responsibilities of companies to their users, the use of technical solutions to prevent online harms and government’s role in supporting users.

Secondary information