I have had time just to double-check the offences. The problem that exists—and it would be helpful if my noble friend the Minister could confirm this—is that the criminal law is defined in terms of person. It is not automatic that sexual harassment, particularly if you do not have a haptic suit on, would actually fall within the criminal law, as far as I understand it, which is why I am asking the Minister to clarify. That was the point that I was making. Harassment per se also needs a course of conduct, so if it was not a touch of your avatar in a sexual nature, it clearly falls outside criminal law. That is the point of clarification that we might need on how the criminal law is framed at the moment.
Online Safety Bill
Proceeding contribution from
Baroness Berridge
(Conservative)
in the House of Lords on Thursday, 25 May 2023.
It occurred during Committee of the Whole House (HL)
and
Debate on bills on Online Safety Bill.
About this proceeding contribution
Reference
830 c1007 Session
2022-23Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamberSubjects
Librarians' tools
Timestamp
2023-10-05 21:08:20 +0100
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