THE UK's Online Safety Bill, proposed by Basingstoke MP Dame Maria Miller, has successfully passed through all its parliamentary stages and is now poised to receive Royal Assent.

The bill, which has been under scrutiny and development for several years, holds social media giants accountable and introduces stringent measures to protect millions of internet users in the country.

Dame Maria, who has been a prominent advocate for safeguarding individuals against intimate image abuse, expressed her satisfaction at the bill's passage.

READ MORE: Basingstoke MP Maria Miller speaks on intimate image law

She said: "After many years of work, the Online Safety Bill is set to become an Act and will protect millions of people in the UK when they use this internet. This law covers a rapidly changing space and holds large social media companies to account in order to keep users safe."

A highlight of the legislation is the inclusion of amendments proposed by Dame Maria, particularly focused on combating intimate image abuse.

She has been campaigning for nearly a decade to have offences related to this crime enshrined in law. The Online Safety Bill takes a significant stride forward by criminalising the sharing of intimate images without consent.

Under the legislation, social media platforms are obligated to:

  • Swift Content Removal: Remove illegal content quickly and prevent its initial appearance, including materials promoting self-harm.

  • Child Protection: Prevent children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content.

  • Age Verification: Enforce age limits and age-checking measures.

  • Transparency: Make the risks and dangers for children on major social media platforms more transparent by publishing risk assessments.

  • Reporting Mechanisms: Provide clear and accessible ways for parents and children to report online problems when they occur.

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For adults, the Online Safety Bill introduces a three-tiered protection system:

  • Illegal Content Removal: Ensuring that illegal content is promptly taken down.

  • Enforce Promises: Imposing a legal responsibility on social media platforms to enforce the promises made to users through their terms and conditions.

  • Filtering Options: Offering users the ability to filter out harmful content, such as bullying, from their online experience.

To enforce these regulations, Ofcom will be empowered to levy fines of up to £18 million or 10 per cent of a company's global annual revenue if they fail to comply.