Basingstoke MP Maria Miller highlighted important research by Which? calling for online platforms to be given greater responsibilities to prevent scam content appearing on their platforms.
Which?’s new research found that social media users underestimate their susceptibility to online scams. Research also identified a discrepancy between people’s expectations of Facebook’s systems and processes to prevent, identify and remove scam-enabling content; and the processes that actually exist to protect users. The report also highlights the emotional and psychological toll impact of these harms on victims.
Maria Miller, who has called for greater government regulation of the digital platforms to address online harms, said: ‘I welcome Which?’s important conclusions, which show that there is a worrying inconsistency in the protection users think they are getting from platforms against online harms, and the actual processes that online platforms have in place to protect people.
‘It is vital that the Government’s upcoming Online Harms Bill recognises that people expect a greater level of protection from online platforms, as Which?’s research has identified.’
