LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday social media companies would be fined 10% of their global revenues if they do not get hate off their platforms in legislation to tackle online racist abuse.
Addressing parliament, Johnson also said the government would change existing football banning orders to ensure that people found guilty of racist abuse against footballers are banned from soccer games.
“What we’re doing is today taking practical steps to ensure that the Football Banning Order regime is changed so that if you were guilty … of racist abuse online of footballers then you will not be going to the match, no ifs, no buts, no exemptions and no excuses,” he said.
“Last night I met representatives of Facebook, of Twitter, of TikTok, of Snapchat, of Instagram and I made it absolutely clear to them that we will legislate to address this problem in the online harms bill and unless they get hate and racism off their platforms, they will face fines amounting to 10% of their global revenues.”
(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Michael Holden)
