News
Online Safety Bill – A Step Too Far?
May 2021 by Colin Tankard, Managing Director of cyber security company, Digital Pathways
During her speech at the State Opening of Parliament, The Queen said, “My Government will lead the way in ensuring Internet safety for all, especially for children, whilst harnessing the benefits of a free, open and secure Internet”.
The draft Online Safety Bill seeks to establish a duty of care on social media operators, in order to increase online safety and enforce standards on unacceptable content.
Compliance with this new duty will be overseen by Ofcom, in its role as online safety regulator.
“Is this a step too far?” says Colin Tankard, Managing Director of cyber security company, Digital Pathways.
“We already have considerable cyber security regulation with GDPR, Cyber Essentials, now heavily promoted by government and, the ICO’s aggressive stance over data breaches. I wonder how effective another layer of regulation will really be.
“All companies need to protect their data, ensuring that it is used appropriately. Data has a considerable value and those sitting in boardrooms should recognise this.”
Tankard thinks that a more effective action is having a more robust system for the prosecution of senior executives, in respect of data breaches. “The cost v benefit of data security is a key question for boards and often board members by-pass data security spend, as they see little risk to the business, or themselves. Increased penalties could trip a change of attitude.
“I often hear executives saying that they are not worried about securing data, as they do not recognise that they have any that is sensitive. All data is valuable to someone, often a hacker, so it should, of course, be protected.
“Data security needs controls more akin to the Health and Safety Executive, with senior executives facing potential prison terms for data breaches. That would do more to protect data than more regulation” he concludes.
