The Government is considering giving new powers to Ofcom that would allow the media regulator to fine technology companies over harmful videos posted online.

The proposals, currently under consultation, would allow Ofcom to issue fines against platforms and websites if it judges they have failed to protect users from seeing harmful videos such as those depicting violence or child abuse.

It follows the publication of a Government white paper into online harms in April, which called for new legislation to make internet social media companies the subject of a statutory duty of care to protect their users, with large fines among the penalties for failing to do so.