Overview

The Online Forums Bill aims to hold administrators and moderators of online forums accountable for illegal content posted on their platforms. It introduces criminal and civil liabilities for failing to remove such content and requires online platforms to publish information about the forums they host.

Description

Criminal Liability for Administrators/Moderators

The bill makes it a criminal offense for qualifying online forum administrators to fail to remove illegal content, subject to a prescribed notice period and reasonable awareness criteria. Penalties include up to 12 months imprisonment (summary conviction) or seven years (indictment), or a fine.

Civil Liability for Administrators/Moderators

Administrators can be held jointly liable with the person who posted illegal content if they failed to take reasonable steps to prevent its posting or removal. The Secretary of State can set regulations to limit this liability.

Information Publication Requirements for Platforms

Online platforms must publish information about qualifying online forums, including the forum name and member count. The Secretary of State will define the specifics via regulations, but members' names cannot be required.

Definitions

The bill defines key terms, including "administrator," "illegal content," "online forum," and "platform." The Secretary of State can amend these definitions through regulations.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify government spending. However, costs will likely arise from enforcing the new regulations, including potential increases in law enforcement activities and regulatory oversight. No figures are provided in the bill text itself.

Groups Affected

• Online Forum Administrators and Moderators: Face criminal and civil liability for illegal content hosted on their forums.
• Online Platforms: Required to publish information about hosted forums and could face penalties for non-compliance.
• Law Enforcement Agencies: Will receive information about qualifying online forums from platforms, aiding investigations.
• Users of Online Forums: May experience changes in forum moderation policies and practices.

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