The Online Safety Bill has been delayed for a second time in four months despite assurances that it would return in the Autumn. According to TechCrunch, a source in the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said that the latest delay is to allow time for MPs to read the latest amendments (yet to be laid), confirmed by Michelle Donelan last month. Meanwhile, PoliticsHome and The Guardian report the delay to the proposed legislation is due to the change of prime minister. A Twitter post by Dr Monica Horten's account @Iptegrity suggests the Bill was "pulled late on Wednesday without any apparent reason being given."
The Bill was due to have its third reading in the Commons on Tuesday, 1 November but has since been dropped from Commons business. The third reading is the final opportunity for the Commons to debate the contents of a Bill, which typically occurs immediately after the report stage before it is sent to the House of Lords.
Not everyone is disappointed with the news; Open Rights Group executive director Jim Killock told The Guardian (see link above) that the delay represents an opportunity for a "complete rethink".
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