How borderless nature of internet makes social media regulation complicated

Free speech is a key aspect of the internet, but it has become increasingly obvious that many online will push that freedom to extremes, leaving website comment sections, Twitter feeds and Facebook groups awash with racist, sexist, homophobic or otherwise unpalatable opinions and vitriolic views, and obscene or shocking images or videos. The borderless nature of the internet, where a website may be hosted in one country, operated by staff in another, with comments left by readers in a third, poses a thorny problem for website operators and government agencies seeking to tackle the issue. In Britain, the telecommunications regulator Ofcom recently issued a report discussing the issues around online harm and potential ways forward. A UK government white paper on the subject is also expected this autumn, and health secretary Matt Hancock announced at the Conservative Party conference that he would direct the UK’s chief medical officer to draw up guidelines about social media use among children and teenagers amid growing concerns over potential harm.