Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
4th Report - Disinformation diplomacy: How malign actors are seeking to undermine democracy
Foreign Affairs Committee
HC 703
Published 27 March 2026
Government response
2nd Special Report - Disinformation diplomacy: How malign actors are seeking to undermine democracy: Government Response · published 8 Jun 2026
Recommendations & Conclusions
50
Recommendation
Rejected
By design, malign actors conduct foreign interference in a covert and obfuscating manner, including on...
Recommendation
By design, malign actors conduct foreign interference in a covert and obfuscating manner, including on social media platforms. We are concerned that the National Security Act 2023 foreign interference offence, which is critical in combatting malign activity online, is limited …
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Government Response Summary
The government disagrees, stating the National Security Act 2023 is carefully designed and needs time to be robustly tested. They note a live case may clarify its operation and will review legislation, working with Ofcom on platform duties under the Online Safety Act.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
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51
Recommendation
Rejected
The Government should conduct an urgent review of the National Security Act 2023 Foreign Interference...
Recommendation
The Government should conduct an urgent review of the National Security Act 2023 Foreign Interference Offence, a priority offence under the Online Safety Act 2023, to ensure it is fit for purpose given the difficulties in meeting the foreign power …
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Government Response Summary
The government disagrees with conducting an urgent review of the National Security Act 2023 Foreign Interference Offence, stating the Act is new and has not been robustly tested, with a live case expected to clarify its operation.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
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53
Recommendation
Rejected
The Government should amend the Online Safety Act to oblige social media companies to provide...
Recommendation
The Government should amend the Online Safety Act to oblige social media companies to provide transparency of user location. This should include publicly available information about 1) the region an account was created; 2) the region the account is based; …
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Government Response Summary
The government explicitly disagrees with amending the Online Safety Act, citing legitimate reasons for VPN use and confidence that the current Act effectively addresses online harms, including those associated with transnational repression. It will continue to monitor the Act's effectiveness.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
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