The House of Commons’ Science and Technology Committee has launched an inquiry into ‘technology-facilitated abuse’, examining the role of digital platforms in proliferating harm and considering whether existing regulatory and technical measures are sufficient to address the growing threats.
Explaining its motivation behind the inquiry, the Committee acknowledges steps that the Government has taken in this area (through, for example, the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA) and the violence against women and girls strategy) but notes that concerns remain as to “whether existing legal and regulatory frameworks remain fit for purpose”. This coincides with views recently expressed by the House of Lords’ Communications and Digital Committee which launched its own inquiry into the effectiveness of the OSA (discussed here)
The Committee has published a Call for Evidence, setting out a range of questions, including:
- How should technology-facilitated abuse be defined, and what new technologies or devices are facilitating such abuse?
- What responsibilities should technology companies and online platforms have for preventing or mitigating technology-facilitated abuse?
- How effective are existing platform policies, reporting systems and moderation processes?
- How should tech companies identify and respond to risks associated with new products, services and features?
- To what extent does existing legislation and policy address technology-facilitated abuse?
- How can Government ensure that protections keep pace with technological developments?
The deadline for submitting evidence is 4 November 2026, and more information can be found here.