Taking it out in the way that the amendment suggests throws up that risk. I am sure that it is not the intention of the noble Lord or the noble Baroness in putting it, but that is a risk of the drafting, which requires some further thought.
Clause 11(2), which is the focus of Amendments 32, 85 and 295, already means that platforms have to take robust action against content which is harmful because of the manner of its dissemination. However, it would not be feasible for providers to fulfil their duties in relation to content which is harmful only by the manner of its dissemination. This covers content which may not meet the definition of content which is harmful to children in isolation but may be harmful when targeted at children in a particular way. One example could be content discussing a mental health condition such as depression, where recommendations are made repeatedly or in an amplified manner through the use of algorithms.
The nature of that content per se may not be inherently harmful to every child who encounters it, but, when aggregated, it may become harmful to a child who is sent it many times over. That, of course, must be addressed, and is covered by the Bill.
5.45 pm
The Bill requires providers to specifically consider as part of their risk assessments how algorithms could affect children’s exposure to illegal content and content which is harmful to children on their service. Service providers will need specifically to consider the harm from content that arises from the manner of dissemination —for example, content repeatedly sent to someone by a person or persons, which is covered in Clause 205(3)(c). Providers will also need to take steps to mitigate and effectively manage any risks, and to consider the design of functionalities, algorithms and other features to meet their illegal content and child safety duties. Ofcom will have a range of powers at its disposal to help it assess whether providers are fulfilling their duties. That includes the power to require information from providers about the operation of their algorithms.