Online harms - content removal

About the consultation

​​​​The internet offers many benefits, but it also brings risks, and we're committed to supporting Islanders to stay safe online. This new law aims to reduce online threats by giving Islanders stronger rights when using:

• social media
• websites
• search engines and internet services

The proposed legislation has 2 main objectives:

1. ​​to make it easier for people in Jersey to get illegal content removed from social media, websites, and search engines
   
2. to enhance online privacy by establishing clear guidelines on what type of images and videos are permissible for upload and which are not
   

​​​​Background

The “Violence against Women and Girls" taskforce recommended (Recommendation 10, page 91), that “the Government of Jersey should ensure that similar protections to those afforded by the UK Online Safety Bill, in relation to the regulation of online platforms to ensure they are protecting their users, are brought in through other means."

The proposed new law focuses on protecting victims, unlike criminal law, which punishes identified offenders. 

Currently, Islanders do not have a clear and consistent way to request the removal of illegal content. Some platforms already provide complaint systems, but these are voluntary and often hard to use. 

The proposed law will require platforms to introduce simple, effective procedures – as outlined in the consultation document below. These are based on best practices from around the world to ensure that Islanders can request illegal content to be removed quickly.

How to submit comments to the consultation

The questions are set out in the consultation document and the online survey below.

Survey submissions should be received no later than Friday 6 March.​​

Consultation document: Online Harms – Content Removal

Complete the online harms content removal survey

Responses may also be submitted:

• by email, to Economy@gov.je. Include the following ​subject line FAO Online Harms - Content Removal Consultation
  
• by post, to FAO Digital Economy Team
  Department for the Economy
  Government of Jersey
  Union Street
  St Helier Jersey
  JE2 3DN​

Data Protection

The information you provide will be processed in compliance with the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018. Find more information in the Department for the Economy Privacy Notice.

The Government of Jersey may quote or publish responses to this consultation but will not publish the name and addresses of individuals without consent. 

Types of publishing may include, for example, sending to other interested parties on request, sending to the Scrutiny Office, quoting in a published report, reporting in the media, publishing on the Government website, and listing on a consultation summary.

Confidential responses will still be included in any summary of statistical information received and views expressed.

Under the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011, information submitted to this consultation may be released if a Freedom of Information request requires it, but no personal data may be released.