Tech bosses could face jail after UK govt backs down over online harm

Tech bosses could be jailed if their platforms deliberately fail to protect children from online harm after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government agreed a deal with lawmakers to avoid the prospect of a first parliamentary defeat.

Sunak faced losing a vote in the House of Commons on Tuesday after 50 Conservative lawmakers and the main opposition party said they would support an amendment designed to toughen the Online Safety Bill. The rebels had tabled an amendment proposing jail sentences of up to two years for tech bosses for failing to protect children from content such as child abuse and self-harm.