Open Markets Institute Welcomes Landmark UK Parliament Report on Social Media

The UK—and Europe more broadly—must seize this moment to restore democratic oversight over the digital economy

Last week, the UK Parliament’s Science, Innovation and Technology Committee issued a report that exposes critical flaws in the current Online Safety Act and outlines urgent steps to curb the dangerous amplification of misinformation on Big Tech’s social media platforms. 

In response, Max von Thun, Europe Director at the Open Markets Institute Europe, said:

"The Committee’s findings are a stark warning: social media giants, underpinned by profit-maximising algorithms and opaque digital advertising systems, continue to amplify false and harmful content—undermining public safety, social cohesion, and democratic resilience."

"The report’s proposed regulatory framework—rooted in five fundamental principles: public safety, freedom of expression, responsibility, control, and transparency—is a vital blueprint for a stronger, fairer, and more democratic digital ecosystem."

“As this report makes clear, the real danger is not just misinformation and other harmful content, but the concentrated power of tech monopolies who profit from its spread. These firms control the infrastructure of online life, curate public discourse, and operate with near-total impunity. Tackling online harm means confronting the power of the platforms themselves.

"We applaud the Committee for recognising this and setting out a bold, principled framework for reform. The UK—and Europe more broadly—must seize this moment to restore democratic oversight over the digital economy.”