UK news in brief

Bishops welcome introduction of online safety laws

GOVERNMENT proposals to tackle online abuse and extremism have been welcomed by bishops. The Online Harms White Paper, published on Monday, will legislate for a new statutory duty of care by social-media firms and the appointment of an independent regulator. The Bishop of Gloucester, the Rt Revd Rachel Treweek, said on Monday: “It’s about time that social-media companies are held responsible for their content and are accountable for their actions. No other organisation in the ‘real’ world has that freedom.” The Bishop of St Albans, Dr Alan Smith, wrote in the Daily Telegraph on Monday: “We need an international treaty-level approach to defining the moral norms and standards for the online world, because like the sea, the waves of the internet wash up on every continent and we have to regard them as deserving of the same attention if we are to harvest their pearls as well as avoid the sharks.” The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Revd Stephen Cottrell, was a member of the House of Lords Select Committee on Communications, which urged for these laws to be introduced.

Church Army CEO moves to the Children’s Society

Mark Russell, the Chief Executive of Church Army since 2006, is to become the new CEO of the Children’s Society, it was announced last week. Mr Russell is a member of the General Synod and the Archbishops’ Council, and an Hon. Lay Canon of Worcester Cathedral. He said: “I am enthusiastic about the Children’s Society’s audacious strategy to

Article source: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2019/12-april/news/uk/uk-news-in-brief