A group of MPs is calling on the UK Government to immediately launch a new body to regulate social media giants whose bosses have “failed to tackle” the Covid-19 infodemic. 

Julian Knight MP, chair of Parliament’s DCMS Committee, said: “Evidence that tech companies were able to benefit from the monetisation of false information and allowed others to do so is shocking. We need robust regulation to hold these companies to account.

“The coronavirus crisis has demonstrated that without due weight of the law, social media companies have no incentive to consider a duty of care to those who use their services.”