In tackling the threat of so-called “fake news” and disinformation, MPs recommend establishing a new code of ethics for social media companies – setting out what constitutes harmful content – to be overseen by a regulator with the ability to issue large fines for non-compliance.

This new regulator should be a public body, able to take up complaints from the public and launch legal proceedings against the likes of Facebook, while the tech giants themselves should assume legal liability for harmful content posted by users, MPs have proposed.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee’s final report into disinformation and “fake news”, published today, said the new regulator should also be able to obtain “any information from social media companies that are relevant to its inquiries”.