The Queen’s Speech 2022 outlined the following Bills that could have implications for the media industry:

• Draft Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill: this will put the Digital Markets Unit (DMU) on a statutory footing and is designed to stop tech firms from abusing their dominant positions at the expense of consumers and other businesses;
• Data Reform Bill: this will reform the UK’s data protection regime in order to, in the Government’s words, “create a world class data rights regime that will allow us to create a new pro-growth and trusted UK data protection framework that reduces burdens on businesses, boosts the economy, helps scientists to innovate and improves the lives of people in the UK”;
• Media Bill: this is to reform public service broadcasting laws and enable a change of ownership of Channel 4; it will also give Ofcom powers to enforce a Video on Demand Code for streaming platforms; it will also repeal s 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013, which if it were commenced, would mean new publishers would have to pay the costs of any court judgment if they were not a member of the approved regulator, regardless of the outcome of the judgment; the Government describes s 40 as “[…] a threat to the freedom and sustainability of the press”;
• Online Safety Bill: in the Government’s words, “to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online”; and
• Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Bill: this is intended to: improve cyber resilience and digital connectivity for individuals and businesses; ensure that smart consumer products are more secure against cyber-attacks; and accelerate and improve the roll out of mobile and broadband networks.

To read the Queen’s Speech 2022 as delivered in full, click here. To access the Government’s briefing notes, click here.