The Online Safety Bill, which will be ready in 2021, will give effect to a new regulatory framework establishing a duty of care on companies to improve the safety of their users online, overseen and enforced by an independent regulator.

Ofcom will be named as the regulator in legislation and will be given the powers to require companies to use technology to identify illegal content involving child sexual abuse or terrorism as a last resort.

The new regulatory framework will apply to companies whose services:

• host user-generated content which can be accessed by users in the UK
• facilitate public or private online interaction between service users, one or more of whom is in the UK

Ofcom will be able to fine companies "failing in their duty of care" up to £18m or 19% of their annual global turnover. The areas of action outlined by Mr Dowden include child abuse, terrorism and content inciting violence and hatred, and hateful content threatening violence.

Before the Online Safety Bill comes into effect in 2021, the Government will publish a 'One Stop Shop' with practical guidance for companies on how to protect children online.