Social media algorithms aimed at addicts to be targeted in government crackdown, says digital minister

Social media algorithms which bombard addicts with ads and videos will be targeted in a government crackdown, the digital minister has said.

Margot James, who is one of the ministers drawing new regulations for tech companies, singled out features that target users with more and more extreme content as the “nub of many of our problems with social media”.

Appearing in front of the House of Lords Communications Committee yesterday, she said she was making such algorithms a focus of the government’s forthcoming white paper on social media regulation.

Her comments came after she was asked by the children’s rights campaigner, Baroness Kidron, about social media companies using features that “create compulsion”.

Ms James said: “I think you touch on something that is really at the nub of many of our problems with social media platforms really.

“If you are keying in weight loss or something into YouTube, or another platform, you then get bombarded with great volumes of the same material.

“Of course if someone is vulnerable, has any mental health problems or any addition, that can make the situation very much worse.

She added: “These algorithms need far greater transparency and companies need to be held more to account for their deployment”.

The Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), is currently working with the Home Office on a white paper, which is expected to outline new rules for tech giants this winter.

The Telegraph has been campaigning of for a statutory duty of care to be placed on social media companies to better protect children from online harms.

Ms James refused to be drawn on the specifics of what ministers are considering. However she told peers: “I can answer the question ‘do I think we need a stricter regulatory regime?’ Yes, I do.”

She also expressed concern about the “tidal wave” of illegal content that was being posted online and said social media companies needed to treat child abuse images as seriously as terrorist material.

The Minister’s appearance in front of the committee came as DCMS, announced it was launching a consultations with charities and teachers over how to protect children’s well-being online.