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techUK’s Head of Policy, Vinous Ali states the importance of Government and industry working together to secure the UK’s position as the safest place to be online.

Commenting on the Government’s response to the DCMS Select Committee’s interim report on fake news, techUK’s Head of Policy Vinous Ali said:

“techUK welcomes the Government’s commitment to move away from the term fake news, being both vague and open to interpretation, it adds little to the debate.

The Government’s response to the DCMS Select Committee’s inquiry is measured, recognising the complexity of the issues to be addressed. Industry is alive to the issues of online harms, transparency and disinformation, and are continually introducing new measures to make the online world a safer place to be. It is good to see that these steps have been noted by Government in their response to the inquiry’s interim report.

techUK echoes the Government’s view that “this work cannot and should not be done by Government alone” and look forward to continuing to work together to ensure the White Paper on Online Harms is both proportionate and effective. The challenges facing decision-makers and industry are enormously complex and require deep and complex thought – something that should not be misread as complacency or foot dragging. It is vital we get this right not only to secure the UK’s position as the safest place to be online, but to ensure that the UK’s thriving tech scene is not damaged unintentionally.”

For media enquiries please contact Alice Jackson.