By Claire Ellicott Political Correspondent For The Daily Mail
Published: 01:03 GMT, 18 February 2019 | Updated: 08:19 GMT, 18 February 2019
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Social media sites could face criminal sanctions if they fail to rein in their behaviour, the Culture Secretary said yesterday.
Sites could be forced to follow a compulsory code of ethics to protect young and vulnerable users, the culture committee said in a separate report on Fake News And Disinformation, published today.
It is calling for an independent regulator to ensure companies define and remove harmful content.
![Committee chairman Damian Collins (above) said that democracy is at risk from ‘malicious and relentless’ targeted online misinformation, and added: ‘The age of inadequate self-regulation must come to an end' [File photo]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/02/18/01/9940636-6715575-image-m-30_1550454108881.jpg)
Committee chairman Damian Collins (above) said that democracy is at risk from ‘malicious and relentless’ targeted online misinformation, and added: ‘The age of inadequate self-regulation must come to an end' [File photo]
Tory MP and committee chairman Damian Collins said social media companies were failing in their duty of care to act against harmful content.
He also said that sites must respect users’ data and privacy rights. The report follows the death of 14-year-old Molly Russell, whose father blamed her death on shocking images she saw on social media.
Now the pressure is growing on
