Reference: 00913266

Jessal Visavadia Information Rights Advisor Information.requests@.org.uk

27 May 2020

Freedom of Information: Right to know request Thank you for your request for information in relation to social media and streaming platforms.

We received this request on 4 May 2020 and have considered it under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

You asked:

Please can I have an explanation as to why an alternative dialogue to Covid-19 pandemic, particularly the David Icke interviews, have been removed from mainstream social media and streaming platforms.

We think it’s worth explaining that whilst Ofcom has powers to regulate broadcast content on television, radio and video-on-demand services, Ofcom does not currently have powers to regulate online content. As such, online content on social media and streaming platforms does not fall within Ofcom’s remit.

Ofcom recently published a sanction decision regarding the broadcast of an interview with David Icke in the programme London Real: Covid-19 on the television service London Live. In our decision we found this programme contained potentially harmful statements about the Coronavirus pandemic and adequate protection was not given to viewers, in breach of Rule 2.1 of the Broadcasting Code. You can read our decision in full here: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/194402/sanction-decision-estv.pdf

On 7 April 2020, YouTube removed a London Real interview between Brian Rose and David Icke in which David Icke made unsubstantiated claims about a link between the roll out of technology and the spread of the Coronavirus. This was a separate interview to the one that is the subject of our decision. This previous response to an FOI about that interview might be of interest.

You may be interested in the following publicly available information, which appears to be relevant to your request:

“How is YouTube fighting misinformation around coronavirus (COVID-19)? We’re committed to providing timely and helpful information at this critical time, including raising up authoritative sources in search and recommendations and, on relevant videos, showing information panels linking to locally relevant sources like WHO. We will also continue to quickly remove videos that violate our policies when they are flagged, including those that discourage people from seeking

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medical treatment or claim that harmful substances have health benefits. Finding trustworthy content is especially critical as news is breaking, and we’ll continue to make sure that YouTube delivers accurate information for our users.”

You may also be interested to visit our published website page ‘Cutting through the Covid-19 confusion’. In particular, Google, which owns YouTube, has taken action by creating www.google.com/covid19 as a one-stop shop for authoritative information and resources.

We do hold some information falling within the scope of your request, obtained in the exercise of Ofcom’s media literacy powers under the Communications Act 2003. However, this information is exempt from release under section 44 of the Act. This exemption allows information to be withheld when its disclosure is prohibited by other legislation (in this case section 393 of the Communications Act 2003).

If you have any further queries, then please send them to [email protected] quoting the reference number above in any future communications.

Yours sincerely,

Jessal Visavadia

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If you are unhappy with the response or level of service you have received in relation to your request from Ofcom, you may ask for an internal review. If you ask us for an internal review of our decision, it will be treated as a formal complaint and will be subject to an independent review within Ofcom. We will acknowledge the complaint and inform you of the date by which you might expect to be told the outcome. The following outcomes are possible: • the original decision is upheld; or • the original decision is reversed or modified.

Timing If you wish to exercise your right to an internal review you should contact us within two months of the date of this letter. There is no statutory deadline for undertaking internal reviews and it will depend upon the complexity of the case. However, we aim to conclude all such reviews within 20 working days, and up to 40 working days in exceptional cases. We will keep you informed of the progress of any such review. If you wish to request an internal review, you should contact:

Corporation Secretary Ofcom Riverside House 2a Southwark Bridge Road London SE1 9HA

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF

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