Britain to outlaw 'wild west' practices on internet
London, May 21: British Culture Secretary Matt Hancock has said Britain is to introduce new laws to make social media safer by outlawing "wild west" elements of the internet.
The measures are part of a response to an Internet Safety Strategy published on Sunday, with a commitment by the government to tackle the full range of online harm, Xinhua news agency reported.
The study revealed 6-in-10 people have witnessed inappropriate or harmful content online, 4-in-10 have experienced online abuse, while 4-in-10 said concerns they put to social media companies were not taken seriously.
Hancock said: "Digital technology is overwhelmingly a force for good across the world and we must always champion innovation and change for the better.
"At the same time I have been clear that we have to address the Wild West elements of the Internet through legislation, in a way that supports innovation. People increasingly live their lives through online platforms so it's more important than ever that people are safe and parents can have confidence they can keep their children from harm."
Hancock said new measures being taking forward on Sunday will help make sure children are protected online and balance the need for safety with the great freedoms the internet brings.
He said the British government will take the lead, working collaboratively with tech companies, children's charities and other stakeholders to develop details of new legislation. Potential areas where the government will legislate include the social media code of practice, transparency reporting and online advertising.
Sunday's report stated: "Our consultation revealed users feel powerless to address safety issues online and that technology companies operate without sufficient oversight or transparency."
The government, it added, is already working with social media companies to protect users, and while several of the tech giants have taken important and positive steps, the performance of the industry overall has been mixed.
Javed Khan, CEO of the children's charity Barnardo's said: "We welcome the Government's commitment to making the UK the safest place to be online and the recognition of the need to bring industry, charities and the public together to tackle the risks and opportunities the online world brings.
"We have long seen the harm that online can bring to children's lives, our own child sexual abuse services saw a 38 per cent increase last year in children referred. Online can be a force for good, but the ease of exploitation of children must be tackled."
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London, Nov 22: A bomb disposal squad deployed as a “precaution” to the South Terminal of Gatwick Airport concluded an investigation into a "security incident" on Friday after making a “suspect package” safe.
The South Terminal of Gatwick Airport, the UK's second busiest airport after Heathrow, which was briefly shut owing to the incident reopened following the incident.
The Gatwick is around 45 km south of London.
Two people detained during the enquiries have since been allowed to continue their journey as the airport was opened.
“Police have concluded their investigation into a report of a suspect package at Gatwick Airport. Officers from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team made the package safe, and the airport has been handed back to its operator,” Sussex Police said in an updated statement.
“Two people detained while enquiries were ongoing have subsequently been allowed to continue their journeys. There will remain an increased police presence in the area to assist with passengers accessing the South Terminal for onward travel,” the statement added.
Earlier on Friday, the incident caused severe disruption at the busy airport’s South Terminal, while the North Terminal of Gatwick Airport remained unaffected.
“Police were called to the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport at 8.20 am on Friday (November 22) following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage,” a Sussex Police statement said.
“To ensure the safety of the public, staff and other airport users, a security cordon has been put in place whilst the matter is dealt with. As a precaution, an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team is being deployed to the airport. This is causing significant disruption and some roads around the South Terminal have been closed. We’d advise the public to avoid the area where possible,” it said.
Footage on social media taken outside the airport showed crowds of frustrated travellers being moved away from the terminal building.
Gatwick said it was working hard to resolve the issue.
“A large part of the South Terminal has been evacuated as a precaution while we continue to investigate a security incident," the airport said in a social media post.
“Passengers will not be able to enter the South Terminal while this is ongoing. The safety and security of our passengers and staff remain our top priority. We are working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.”
Train and bus services that serve the airport were also impacted while the police carried out their inquiries.
In an unrelated incident in south London on Friday morning, the US Embassy area in Nine Elms by the River Thames was the scene of a controlled explosion by Scotland Yard dealing with what they believe may have been a “hoax device”.
“We can confirm the 'loud bang' reported in the area a short time ago was a controlled explosion carried out by officers,” the Metropolitan Police said in a post on X.
“Initial indications are that the item was a hoax device. An investigation will now follow. Some cordons will remain in place for the time being but the majority of the police response will now be stood down,” it added.
