British plan steps up global crackdown on social media

LONDON — The United Kingdom unveiled plans on Monday to vastly increase government oversight of social media companies, with a first-of-its-kind watchdog that could fine executives or even ban companies if they fail to block content such as terrorist propaganda or images of child abuse.

As concerns mount globally over how to monitor internet material without stifling free speech, the British proposal reflects a push by some countries — particularly in Europe but also Australia and New Zealand — to give regulators more power.

New Zealand’s official privacy watchdog on Monday described Facebook as “morally bankrupt” and suggested his country follow neighboring Australia’s lead by making laws that could jail executives over streamed violence such as the Christchurch mosque shootings.

Privacy Commissioner John Edwards has been critical of Facebook’s response to a gunman using the platform to live-stream some of the slaughter of 50 worshipers and the wounding of 50 more at two mosques on March 15.

The British plans would create a statutory “duty of care” for social media companies such as Facebook and Twitter to protect people who use their sites. The plan, which includes an independent regulator funded by a levy on internet companies, will be open for public comment for three months before the government publishes draft legislation.

“No one in the world has done this before, and it’s important that we get it right,” Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright told the BBC.

While the United States has largely relied on market forces to regulate content in a country where free speech is revered, governments in Europe have signaled they are willing to take on the tech companies to block harmful content and prevent extremists from using the internet to fan the...