High Peak MP demands action from social media companies

Jon Pearce MP has spoken out following a new report from the House of Commons’ Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, into the potential dangers of social media.

The report, entitled 'Social Media, misinformation and harmful algorithms', followed an inquiry on the challenge that the British Government faces with regulating hugely powerful technology companies.

The inquiry was chaired by Dame Chi Onwurah MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West and was supported by a cross-party group of MPs including Jon Pearce MP for High Peak.

The report details five key principles which the Committees believes are crucial for the regulation of social media. These are:

1. Public Safety: Algorithmically accelerated misinformation is a danger that companies, government—both national and local, law enforcement, and security services need to work together to address.

2. Free and safe expression: Steps to tackle amplified misinformation should be in line with the fundamental right to free expression.

3. Responsibility: Users should be held liable for what they post online, but the platforms they post on are also responsible.

4. Control: Users should have control over both their personal data and what they see online

5. Transparency: The technology used by platform companies should be transparent, accessible and explainable to public authorities.

Speaking about the report in the House of Commons, Jon Pearce MP said: “This report makes vital recommendations to Government and social media communities about how we can make the online world safer. I am particularly concerned about the impact on young people. Does my hon. Friend agree that harm is happening today? Young people will be going home from school with harmful content being pushed at them. Does she agree that social media companies should not wait for Government to implement these recommendations, but should get on with implementing them today to stop that harm happening to children across this country?”

Further to his intervention, Jon added: “My constituents know that supporting families and giving kids the best start in life is what drives me. Based on what I have seen in this inquiry and other reports, I don’t believe that social media platforms have children’s safety as their top priority now. We heard from organisations like the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, that social media algorithms are pushing extreme content to young people. This includes content that promotes eating disorders and anorexia.

This content is also displayed alongside everyday brands that teenagers use, like L’Oréal and Ralph Lauren, normalising the potentially fatal subject matter.

Social media companies need to fix these algorithms and implement the report’s recommendations to give platform users a right to reset. This would give a young person a vitally needed exit ramp to the harmful content they’re seeing, which we know could potentially save a person’s life.”