Lucy Allan – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lucy Allan on 2016-02-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle cyber harassment.

Karen Bradley

Legislation is in place to deal with internet trolls, cyber-stalking and cyber harassment, and perpetrators of grossly offensive, obscene or menacing behaviour. Through the Criminal Justice Act 2015, we have strengthened two communications offences which can be used to prosecute misuse of social media: section 1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1988, and section 127 of the Communications Act 2003, giving the police longer to investigate either offence, and increasing the maximum penalty for the former to two years imprisonment.

Through the UK Council for Child Internet Safety, we have brought together industry, law enforcement, academia, charities and parenting groups to work in partnership to help keep children and young people safe online.