Speeches by Hinds.

“Perhaps you can follow up to the Committee with a bit more on what we can expect to be in the transparency reports and how they will therefore be a useful tool for the public.”

“On another matter to do with the demarcation between ICO and Ofcom, which of you is more responsible for thinking about the extent to which algorithmic recommendation systems create echo chambers?”

“I totally agree. Lastly, the children’s code was a very important step forward, but there are also hundreds of thousands of children under the age of 13 accessing a service that is nominally meant to be for children aged 13 or above. There are also hundreds of thousands of children who are over 13, but because of the a…”

“It certainly is. But I think you are also saying that either Ofcom or the ICO—Ofcom would require additional legislation to do this—could enforce there being an effective age threshold at age 13, if that was what platforms were saying was the case. The ICO could do it instead of Ofcom. Is that correct?”

“You have made the point about your requirement that if platforms cannot demonstrate how old people are, they assume they have younger people on their platform. I think that principle is also hardwired into the age appropriate design code, which has been around since 2021, I think, but I am not sure many people believe …”

“Can I ask about the demarcation between Ofcom and the ICO, which I think sometimes confuses people a little bit and very understandably? The week before last, you had the children’s codes published, but it is the ICO that produces the age appropriate design code. On age checking in particular, could you say a word abou…”

“Did you say half in the last year?”

“You can be sustained and still unseen, especially by a younger audience. I was not suggesting, as you say, chasing the long tail. I think probably everybody here thinks there is a particular value to the public sector broadcasters, but they are not being seen in the volumes that you would want in the 16 to 24 age group…”

“Dame Melanie, you have already mentioned the importance of YouTube and social media for news consumption, and just now you spoke about the need to consider algorithmic recommendations when talking about the prominence of individual pieces of content rather than entire channels or platforms on TV devices. When we talk a…”

“To be clear, I did not mean only for children, but obviously that is a very important part.”

“This is my final question, the Chair will be pleased to hear. This is another area where platforms will have their own terms and conditions. In my understanding of the Act, you as the regulator can hold platforms to account for doing what they have said that they will do—their contract with the customer. What can you d…”

“The key question is, do you think it does that? Do your lawyers think the Online Safety Act enables you to hold platforms to account for what is in their terms and conditions—in this case, specifically on misinformation and disinformation?”

“Yes. As I understand it, there are two things in the Act on mis and disinformation—the duty to promote media literacy to counter mis and disinformation, but also the ability to require information of platforms on mis and dis, and I presume on the prevalence of mis and disinformation, and on what they are doing to count…”

“Thinking about its composition, we were talking about the ticket sales and ticket pricing part of it. There are also drink sales, which I guess is quite a big part, as well as food sales in some venues. What other revenue line items are there?”

“Comedy is about a lot more than economics, and we will come on to talk about social impact and health benefits, but I will stick with the economics for now. Geoff, I think you mentioned a figure of a £1 billion contribution to the UK economy each year. Sharon, do you recognise that number? I am sure that you are not go…”

“Thinking about its composition, we were talking about the ticket sales and ticket pricing part of it. There are also drink sales, which I guess is quite a big part, as well as food sales in some venues. What other revenue line items are there?”

“Are comedy courses quite a big business?”

“Is much money being made from YouTube ads, Creator Fund on TikTok and whatnot?”

“Jessica, you were talking about some of the current cost increases. You are in the position of being a profitable business, able to reduce profit—I know that sounds like an odd thing and, of course, other hospitality businesses will be facing some of the same issues, the same sort of nighttime economy in Manchester. At…”

“Venues are operating businesses. Do you expect employment and prices to be affected? Might some venues close? If there is the same amount of money but all the prices have gone up, the money does not go as far. What will the effects be?”