'Tech bosses face jail if children not kept safe online after UK parliament deal', 16 January 2023

"Tech executives whose platforms persistently fail to protect children from online harm will face criminal charges after ministers reached a deal with Conservative backbenchers.

Rishi Sunak was facing the prospect of defeat in a Commons vote on Tuesday after a rebel amendment to the online safety bill won opposition support. However, supporters have now withdrawn the amendment after the government agreed to change the legislation.

Under the proposed changes, senior managers at tech firms will be criminally liable for repeated breaches of their duty of care to children and could face up to two years in jail. The government is expected to target bosses who ignore enforcement notices from Ofcom, the communications regulator, in relation to breaches of their child safety duties, which include protecting children from harmful content such as material promoting self-harm and eating disorders.

However, it will not criminalise executives who have “acted in good faith to comply in a proportionate way” with their duties..."