1st Report - Free for all? Freedom of expression in the digital age
- HC No.
- —
- Published
- 22 Jul 2021
- Items
- 0
- Response
- Response document linked Read government response ↗
Select Committee · Communications and Digital Committee
Freedom of expression online
Status: Closed
Opened: 29 Oct 2020
Closed: 27 Oct 2022
1 report
Inquiry scope
Debates and exchanges of information and content increasingly take place online. The internet has enabled individuals to publish and share their views with large audiences in a way that was not previously possible. This inquiry will investigate how public policy can best protect the right to freedom of expression on the internet and how that right should be balanced with other priorities.Reports
Oral evidence sessions
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| Date | Session and witnesses | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 13 May 2021 | Elizabeth Kanter · TikTok, Henry Turnbull · Snap Inc | View ↗ |
| 11 May 2021 | Becky Foreman · Microsoft, Caroline Dinenage MP · Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Katie O'Donovan · Google UK, Sarah Connolly · Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | View ↗ |
| 27 Apr 2021 | Clare Alexander · Aitken Alexander Associates, David Shelley · Hachette UK, Katy Minshall · Twitter, Richard Earley · Facebook | View ↗ |
| 20 Apr 2021 | Chi Onwurah · Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, David Tucker · College of Policing, Robert Colvile · Centre for Policy Studies, Senator Marsha Blackburn · US Senate | View ↗ |
| 13 Apr 2021 | Daniel Gordon · Competition and Markets Authority, Professor Andrew Murray · The London School of Economics and Political Science, Professor Lorna Woods · Essex Law School, University of Essex, Simeon Thornton · Competition and Markets Authority | View ↗ |
| 23 Mar 2021 | David Kaye · University of California, Irvine, Dr Nicholas Hoggard · Law Commission, Professor Penney Lewis · The Law Commission, Ross LaJeunesse · Google | View ↗ |
| 16 Mar 2021 | Gill Phillips · Guardian News & Media, Lizzie Greene · DMG Media, Matt Rogerson · Guardian Media Group, Peter Wright · DMG Media, Renate Künast MP (German Bundestag) · Alliance 90/The Greens | View ↗ |
| 9 Mar 2021 | Jim Killock · Open Rights Group, Julia Reda · Society for Civil Rights, Mr Graham Linehan, Ms Helen Staniland | View ↗ |
| 2 Mar 2021 | Alan Rusbridger, Dr Liza Lovdahl Gormsen · British Institute of International and Comparative Law, Kate Klonick · School of Law, St John's University, Professor Damien Geradin · Geradin Partners | View ↗ |
| 23 Feb 2021 | Dr Lucas Graves · Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Professor Carissa Véliz · Faculty of Philosophy, Institute for Ethics in AI, Hertford College, University of Oxford, Professor Sandra Wachter · Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford, Will Moy · Full Fact | View ↗ |
| 9 Feb 2021 | Jimmy Wales · Wikipedia, Kenny Ethan Jones, MS Seyi Akiwowo · Glitch | View ↗ |
| 2 Feb 2021 | Dr Fiona Vera-Gray · Department of Sociology, Durham University, Dr Roxane Farmanfarmaian · Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Cambridge, Dr Sharath Srinivasan · Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Cambridge, Louise Perry · Freelance | View ↗ |
| 19 Jan 2021 | Dr David Erdos · University of Cambridge, Dr Edina Harbinja · Aston University, The Rt Rev. and the Rt Hon. the Lord Williams of Oystermouth | View ↗ |
| 8 Dec 2020 | Mehwish Ansari · Article 19, Mr Richard Wingfield · Global Partners Digital, Ruth Smeeth · Index on Censorship | View ↗ |
| 1 Dec 2020 | Benedict Evans, Mark Scott · Politico | View ↗ |
| 24 Nov 2020 | Ayishat Akanbi, Dr Jeffrey Howard · UCL Department of Political Science | View ↗ |
Who gave evidence
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| Witness | Organisation | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Alan Rusbridger | — | 1 |
| Ayishat Akanbi | — | 1 |
| Becky Foreman · UK Corporate Affairs Director | Microsoft | 1 |
| Benedict Evans | — | 1 |
| Caroline Dinenage MP · Minister for Digital and Culture | Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | 1 |
| Chi Onwurah · Shadow Minister for Digital, Science and Technology | Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | 1 |
| Clare Alexander · Chair | Aitken Alexander Associates | 1 |
| Daniel Gordon · Senior Director of Markets | Competition and Markets Authority | 1 |
| David Kaye · Clinical Professor of Law | University of California, Irvine | 1 |
| David Shelley · Chief Executive Officer | Hachette UK | 1 |
| David Tucker · Faculty Lead on Crime and Criminal Justice | College of Policing | 1 |
| Dr David Erdos · Senior Lecturer in Law and the Open Society | University of Cambridge | 1 |
| Dr Edina Harbinja · Senior Lecturer in Media and Privacy Law, Aston Law School | Aston University | 1 |
| Dr Fiona Vera-Gray · Assistant Professor | Department of Sociology, Durham University | 1 |
| Dr Jeffrey Howard · Associate Professor | UCL Department of Political Science | 1 |
| Dr Liza Lovdahl Gormsen · Director of the Competition Law Forum & Senior Research Fellow In Competition Law | British Institute of International and Comparative Law | 1 |
| Dr Lucas Graves · Research Associate | Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism | 1 |
| Dr Nicholas Hoggard · Lawyer | Law Commission | 1 |
| Dr Roxane Farmanfarmaian · Director, ‘Protecting Freedom of Expression in Religious Context’ | Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Cambridge | 1 |
| Dr Sharath Srinivasan · Lecturer in Governance and Human Rights, King's College | Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Cambridge | 1 |
| Elizabeth Kanter · Director of Government Relations and Public Policy UK | TikTok | 1 |
| Gill Phillips · Director of Editorial Legal Services | Guardian News & Media | 1 |
| Henry Turnbull · Head of Public Policy UK & Nordics | Snap Inc | 1 |
| Jim Killock · Chief Executive Officer | Open Rights Group | 1 |
| Jimmy Wales · Co-Founder | Wikipedia | 1 |
| Julia Reda · Researcher | Society for Civil Rights | 1 |
| Kate Klonick · Assistant Professor of Law | School of Law, St John's University | 1 |
| Katie O'Donovan · Public Policy Manager | Google UK | 1 |
| Katy Minshall · Head of UK Public Policy | 1 | |
| Kenny Ethan Jones | — | 1 |
| Lizzie Greene · Legal Adviser | DMG Media | 1 |
| Louise Perry · Writer and campaigner | Freelance | 1 |
| Mark Scott · Chief Technology Correspondent | Politico | 1 |
| Matt Rogerson · Director of Public Policy | Guardian Media Group | 1 |
| Mehwish Ansari · Head of Digital | Article 19 | 1 |
| Mr Graham Linehan | — | 1 |
| Mr Richard Wingfield · Head of Legal | Global Partners Digital | 1 |
| Ms Helen Staniland | — | 1 |
| MS Seyi Akiwowo · Founder and Executive Director | Glitch | 1 |
| Peter Wright · Editor Emeritus | DMG Media | 1 |
| Professor Andrew Murray · Associate Dean of LSE Law School and Professor of Law | The London School of Economics and Political Science | 1 |
| Professor Carissa Véliz · Associate Professor | Faculty of Philosophy, Institute for Ethics in AI, Hertford College, University of Oxford | 1 |
| Professor Damien Geradin · founding partner | Geradin Partners | 1 |
| Professor Lorna Woods · Professor of Law | Essex Law School, University of Essex | 1 |
| Professor Penney Lewis · Criminal Law Commissioner | The Law Commission | 1 |
| Professor Sandra Wachter · Associate Professor | Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford | 1 |
| Renate Künast MP (German Bundestag) · Member | Alliance 90/The Greens | 1 |
| Richard Earley · UK Public Policy Manager | 1 | |
| Robert Colvile · Director | Centre for Policy Studies | 1 |
| Ross LaJeunesse · former Global Head of International Relations | 1 | |
| Ruth Smeeth · Chief Executive | Index on Censorship | 1 |
| Sarah Connolly · Director, Security and Online Harms | Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport | 1 |
| Senator Marsha Blackburn · Senator for Tennessee | US Senate | 1 |
| Simeon Thornton · Director | Competition and Markets Authority | 1 |
| The Rt Rev. and the Rt Hon. the Lord Williams of Oystermouth | — | 1 |
| Will Moy | Full Fact | 1 |
Correspondence
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| Published | Direction | Letter |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Jul 2021 | To committee | Response from Katy Minshall, Head of UK Public Policy, Twitter to Lord Gilbert of Panteg, Chair, Communications and Digital Committee - 9 July 2021 |
| 13 Jul 2021 | To committee | Letter from Lord Gilbert of Panteg, Chair, Communications and Digital Committee to Katy Minshall, Head of UK Public Policy, Twitter - 22 June 2021 |
Meetings & visits
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| Date | Type | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Jul 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 13 Jul 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 6 Jul 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 29 Jun 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 15 Jun 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 20 May 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 22 Apr 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 14 Apr 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 18 Mar 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 11 Mar 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting | |
| 25 Feb 2021 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | — · Virtual meeting |