Tech Executives Threatened With Jail Time Under Proposed U.K. Law

Executives from Facebook parent Meta Platforms, TikTok and other big tech companies would face the prospect of jail time under sweeping new legislation proposed by the U.K. government that aims to curb illegal and harmful internet content.

Under the Online Safety Bill, to be introduced on Thursday, tech executives may face criminal prosecution if they fail to comply with decisions made by the regulator in charge of enforcing the law. That penalty would kick in two months after the legislation, if passed, comes into effect, according to a briefing of the plans seen by The Information. That’s a more aggressive timeline than the two years mapped out in draft proposals last year.