Select Committee
Parliament

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Labour's Darren Jones asks if Ofcom should regulate social media.

Sinead McSweeney from Twitter replies that is a question for legislators, and her platform will work within the law.

She adds it is possible regulation and legislation may end up "impeding" the quality of the service.

Karim Palant at Facebook says some regulation is "inevitable", and it should be "principle-based". He adds each platform is different and a regulator would need to be "flexible".

Claire Lilley from Google, says if there is regulation, she hopes the views of young people will be taken into account.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Conservative MP Vicky Ford asks why it takes so long for illegal content to be removed.

Claire Lilley, Google's lead on Child Safety in Europe, replies that her platform uses machine learning to take down content quickly and that they proactively scan for child sexual abuse.

In terms of news, current affairs and politics, they prioritise an "authoritative source", she says.

Karim Palant from Facebook says that the time it takes to remove content depends on the type of illegal content and it will "vary hugely".

He tells the committee that Facebook can remove terrorist content quickly, often before it is reported and within a minute of it being uploaded.

He adds context and language variation makes detection "harder" but as the artificial intelligence improves they can be more pro-active.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Labour MP Liz Kendall asks how many reports of inappropriate content the social media platforms receive each day and how many moderators they have.

Claire Lilley from Google UK replies that she does not have exact figures but reports are in the hundreds of thousands everyday.

She adds that in their second quarter of this year, they removed 7.7 million videos from YouTube. Google has committed to increasing moderators to 10,000 by the end of the year, she adds.

Twitter's Sinead McSweeney says there is illegal content, content that is against Twitter's terms of service and content that "some people may not want to see".

For the latter category, she says that Twitter has quality filters.

She adds that Twitter has removed over a million accounts posting terrorist content and is using machine learning to support the use of moderators.

Karim Palant from Facebook says at the end of 2017, Facebook had increased its moderators from 3,500 to 8,000 globally.

He agrees with Ms McSweeney that technology is playing a "bigger part" in moderation.

Select Committee
Parliament

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The committee is investigating how social media companies handle reports of inappropriate content, what steps they are taking to swiftly remove illegal content and their response to proposals to regulate their operations.

MPs will also hear today from the UK Safer Internet Centre and the National Association of Head Teachers, to discuss digital literacy.

A recent study, of 4,500 US children, published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health journal, linked limiting children's recreational screen time with improved cognition.

Another study by University of Oxford found among teenagers who were the lightest users of technology, increasing the time they spent using it was linked to improved wellbeing.

In contrast, among the heaviest users, any increase in time was linked to lower levels of wellbeing.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Karim Palant, Facebook's UK Public Policy Manager, says young people believe social media have a "positive" effect on society.

However, he adds there is "clearly" illegal content that can be circulated, such as child pornography and terrorist activity, and that is a "huge priority".

He says Facebook is working to prevent the material from being re-shared by using new photo DNA fingerprint technology.

Mr Palant says that in terms of less obviously illegal content, like hate speech and bullying, that content can be reported.

Facebook has increased employment of those who review the content and using machine learning to pro-actively find it, he says.

Select Committee
Parliament

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Sinead McSweeney, Vice President of Public Policy and Communications for Europe, says Twitter has been on a "journey" in terms of addressing harm for its users.

She says the platform should be a place for "healthy conversation"

She says young people are not on Twitter and it is not a platform "they find attractive". She adds Twitter has a responsibility as an industry player to contribute to "overall health" of the internet space.

She says she wants young people to come on to the platform as good "digital citizens".

Select Committee
Parliament

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Committee chair and Lib Dem MP Norman Lamb asks what the potential "harms" are that young people face when using the platforms represented by the panel.

Claire Lilley from Google UK replies that there is so much about YouTube that is "brilliant" and that young people consistently report enjoying their experience online.

She adds sometimes "things slip through our safeguards" and they are exposed to content that is not "appropriate".

She says Google has strict community guidelines relating to sexual, violent and hateful content. The firm has introduced a restricted version of YouTube for younger users, she adds.

She tells MPs that a 'family link' service is available for parents and has been downloaded by 50 million users. It allows parents to set "the ground rules" of their child's digital use, she says.

We begin our coverage this morning with the science and technology committee, which is continuing its inquiry into the impact of social media and screen use on young people's health.

The committee will be speaking to experts from major social media companies.

We then move on to the Education Committee, where Pepper the robot will be informing MPs about the fourth industrial revolution and the classroom of the future.

The Commons starts at 11.30am with questions to business ministers.

Prime Minister Theresa May has called for "cool, calm heads" as she insisted a Brexit deal was "still achievable" despite differences with the EU.

She told MPs in a statement in the Commons that it was "frustrating" the two sides could not agree how to guarantee no hard border in Northern Ireland.

The issue could not "derail" the chances of striking a deal, she said.

She also sought to reassure critics of her approach that the UK would not end up in "permanent limbo" tied to EU customs rules.

What about opponents?

Brexiteers warned of the UK being tied to EU rules, Remainers called for another referendum and the Democratic Unionist Party - which gives the Tories support in key votes - demanded no separate arrangements for Northern Ireland.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mrs May should make way for Labour rather than be "buffeted this way and that way by the chaos of her own party".

What was the verdict?

The BBC's political editor Laura Kuenssberg pointed out that no MPs in the Commons spoke in defence of Mrs May's plans.

House of Lords
Parliament

That's it for our coverage of the Lords today.

Peers have paused the committee stage of the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill for a short debate on issues relating to the protection of property guardians.

Earlier this afternoon, peers questioned ministers about asylum applications, teaching post-Brexit, and prisoners participating in purposeful activity.

After this, the Leader of the House Baroness Evans updated peers on the prime minister's latest Brexit statement which was delivered to the Commons earlier this afternoon.

The main business in the Lords today, the committee stage of the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill, will continue in an hour after this short debate.

House of Lords
Parliament

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Health Minister Lord O'Shaughnessy says the bill is clear that only those with approved qualifications can become mental capacity assessors.

He says the new 'Best Interests' training system is held in high regard and "will make a big difference".

"Local authorities will have their own choice on how a training strategy is implemented, but the government will be on hand to aid them if assisted," the minister says.

He commits to a training strategy for mental capacity assessors being implemented within six months of the bill passing.

Tory MPs were planning to oppose a total ban on "high energy" rifles in the Offensive Weapons Bill.

House of Commons
Parliament

Deputy Rosie Winterton then informs MPs that Labour's Kate Green is elected unopposed as chair as of the Standards Committee.

MPs now move onto the adjournment debate on rail fares between Ipswich and London, led by Labour MP for Ipswich Sandy Martin.

We'll be leaving our coverage of the Commons there for today. Business began with Work and Pensions questions, before Prime Minister Theresa May delivered a statement on the Brexit negotiations.

After a large number of MPs questioned the prime minister, Clean Energy Minister Claire Perry gave a statement on Green GB Week. Another statement followed, given by Civil Society Minister Tracey Crouch, on the Loneliness Strategy. In response to the statement, many paid tribute to the murdered MP Jo Cox, who championed the issue.

The day's main scheduled business had been the remaining stages of the Offensive Weapons Bill, to which a number of amendments had been tabled and could have been difficult for the government, was cancelled - with Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom pointing to the number of statements given as explanation.

Join us tomorrow for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy questions. Plaid Cymru MP Hywel Williams will then introduce his Cold Weather Payments Bill, before MPs consider amendments made by the Lords to the Rating (Property in Common Occupation) and Council Tax (Empty Dwellings) Bill.

House of Lords
Parliament

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Crossbench peer Baroness Murphy says the current system of training is "more about getting the accounts right than the diagnosis".

Labour peer Lord Hunt says this bill is mainly a cost shift of mental health treatment from local authorities to central government, and asks how the government will be funding this.

"Turnover for care home managers is quite high and they are under-qualified for completing health assessments, and the issue of training is very important indeed," he says.

"Training must be seen as more of an investment than a cost."

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As the Loneliness Strategy statement comes to a close, MPs raise points of order with Deputy Speaker Rosie Winterton over the government's decision to cancel the third reading of the Offensive Weapons Bill, which was scheduled for today.

Shadow Leader of the House Valerie Vaz asks why MPs weren't informed earlier, and questions why the bill "is going to be scheduled for tomorrow" instead and why business managers were not informed.

Labour MP David Hanson also asks why Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom "has not come to the House to make a business statement... given that many outside organisations have expected to see important debates."

He asks whether "tomorrow will mean tomorrow in this case, or whether it means some unspecified date to be announced in the future." He points out the Commons has another three hours sitting time when it could have held the debate.

Rosie Winterton explains that "whilst the government has put the bill down for tomorrow", it may not be taken tomorrow. She says it is a matter for the government as to when it brings the bill back.

Ms Vaz says this is an important bill and requests Andrea Leadsom to come and explain "when this matter will be taken in the chamber."

The deputy Speaker says there will be a chance on Thursday at Business Questions to ask this and she has not received notice of any opportunity before that.

House of Lords
Parliament

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Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Barker says there is agreement among peers that there needs to be a cut down on the repetitions of assessments, "but to do this, assessments need to be done correctly, efficiently and by the right person".

"At the moment there is not consistency or clarity in the system," she says.

Introducing the next group of amendments which regards the training of mental capacity assessors, Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Jolly says there are currently six individual assessments an individual has to go through to determine mental capacity and social workers must complete significant training.

"Assessors must have more than a university qualification," she says.

Baroness Jolly asks for clarification from the minister on what training regime will be implemented for future assessors of mental health capacity.

Westminster Hall

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Environment Minister David Rutley says horses spend many weeks training so that people across the country can enjoy the "thrill" of racing. He adds people should expect the "highest standard" of their welfare.

Mr Rutley says the British Horseracing Authority works "hard" and with welfare organisations to put in place necessary safety measures for horses.

The minister says each fatality is "absolutely tragic" and the decline in numbers is "encouraging". He wants the fatalities to decline further.

However, Mr Rutley says there is always a "degree of risk".

The Conservative MP mentions issues around the movement of horses and the effect of Brexit.

He welcomes the work of the authority as a "transparent body" and concludes that the government does not see the need for a new body.

The debate comes to a close.

Reports of behaviour alleged by staff include MPs being routinely "overbearing or confrontational".

The prime minister calls for "cool heads" as the UK and the EU search for a deal ahead of a key summit.

House of Commons
Parliament

In response to Steve Reed, Tracey Crouch says the government recognises "that difficult decisions were taken during difficult times... but those decisions may have had a inadvertent impact on the issue of loneliness."

However, she says the government wants to ensure that policy is made responsibility and "to ensure that we look at loneliness and we consider that a policy test".