Source · Select Committees · Petitions Committee
Recommendation 26
26
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 102
Where there is a need to trace and investigate accounts posting potentially illegal content, this...
Recommendation
Where there is a need to trace and investigate accounts posting potentially illegal content, this is usually technically possible even if the account is publicly anonymous. However, the police’s ability to trace accounts posting such content at scale is constrained by a lack of resources. This underlines the need for additional law enforcement resourcing as we call for in our recommendations on online abuse and the criminal law. The mixed evidence we heard about social media platforms’ cooperation with police requests for such information makes it welcome that the Government has previously indicated it is looking into the powers available to the police to identify users and tackle illegal anonymous abuse online. We recommend that the Government publishes the conclusions of its work to review whether current police powers are sufficient to tackle illegal anonymous abuse online, and that it sets out a timetable for any changes it believes are necessary as a result.
Government Response Summary
The government states it has engaged with law enforcement to review police powers for tackling illegal anonymous abuse, and the outcome will inform its position, but does not commit to publishing the conclusions or a timetable for changes. They add that police resource allocation is for Chief Constables, while the Home Office funds specialist investigation teams.
Paragraph Reference:
102
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
Government response All online abuse is unacceptable and will be significantly reduced by the introduction of the online safety framework, regardless of whether it is anonymous. The government has engaged with law enforcement to ensure the current powers they have are sufficient to tackle illegal anonymous abuse online. The outcome of that work will inform the government’s position in relation to illegal anonymous abuse online and the online safety regulatory framework. Decisions about the allocation of Police resources and deployment of officers are for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners. The Home Office continue to fund specialist investigation teams such as the Police Online Hate Crime Hub, the Social Media Hub and the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit.