It’s a week since we lost our beloved friend and colleague David and, until now, I haven’t been able to fully put into words my reaction to his tragic, brutal death.

I’m sure every MP in Westminster experienced the same chill of dread down their spine when they heard the news.

If you’re in the public eye, and particularly if you’re a woman, death threats and online abuse are the backdrop to your daily life. It’s a dark, foreboding cloud that follows you everywhere you go. David’s death has brought into sharp relief the danger that MPs face on a near-constant basis.

As we walk into work we pass the plaque in Memory of Keith Palmer, the police officer who died in the Westminster attack. Once on the chamber’s green benches, we look up to the plaque in memory of Jo Cox.

David was doing his job, and his death was an attack against democracy. Although our efforts to make the UK the safest country online may not have made a difference in what happened last week the two most shocking facts have been highlighted. Online remains a home for disgusting, often anonymous, abuse and a place where people can be radicalized.

I once received a truly hateful post from someone saying they wanted to see me trapped in a burning car, and watch ¿the flames melt the flesh on my face¿, writes Nadine Dorries (pictured). It was posted anonymously, but the author was tracked down to a dorm room at Oxford University, albeit slowly

I once received a truly hateful post from someone saying they wanted to see me trapped in a burning car, and watch ‘the flames melt the flesh on my face’, writes Nadine Dorries (pictured). Although anonymously posted, the author was eventually tracked down to an Oxford University dorm room.

The abuse isn’t limited to one group. As we saw with Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, and Bukayo Saka this summer, black footballers are subject to racist abuse every time they step on the field. Misogynistic hatred is also directed at female celebrities.

Online hate has poisoned our public life. It’s often unbearable. It has to end.

We have the legislation. Our Online Safety Bill represents one of the most ambitious pieces in legislation in this age of internet. No other country has ever published a Bill to hold tech companies accountable for what they post on their platforms and how they promote it.

First, the Bill will force tech giants like Google to quickly identify and remove illegal content.

The platforms will also have to prevent children’s access to pornography or other harmful content and enforce age limits.

We’ve worked with the Law Commission to advise on how we could expand the definition of illegal content to include the promotion of self-harm – something I feel very strongly about.

Too many young people are being tempted to join suicide chat rooms or their apps are filled with content encouraging them cut themselves or to starve themselves into anorexia. We can’t allow the innocence of childhood to be erased by an algorithm.

This week, online abuse has been dominated by the question of anonymity. This Bill will end anonymous abuse because it will end all abuse, no exceptions.

If it’s racist, if it’s misogynistic, if it’s anti-Semitic – if it’s any kind of toxic content that breaks a social media company’s terms and conditions, whether hiding behind a fake name or not, it will have to be removed.

However, I recognize that we may need to improve the tools we have for fighting this abuse.

The Government is reexamining how our legislation can be improved to ensure that the largest social media companies adequately protect users against anonymous abuse. While some trolls may appear anonymous, they can still be tracked if the right information is shared.

Our Online Safety Bill is one of the most ambitious pieces of legislation in the internet age, writes Nadine Dorries

Nadine Dorries writes that the Online Safety Bill is one the most ambitious pieces in legislation in the internet age.

I’m speaking from experience here. I once received a truly hateful post from someone saying they wanted to see me trapped in a burning car, and watch ‘the flames melt the flesh on my face’. Although it was anonymously posted, the author was quickly tracked down to a dorm at Oxford University.

The police have the power, but social media companies must quickly hand over data and remove content. This Bill will also force platforms to stop promoting hateful content through their algorithms.

And here’s the bottom line. If social media companies fail in any of those duties, they’ll face a financial hammer blow. Ofcom can fine them up 10 percent of their annual global turnover.

But big tech can – and must – do more right now. These are the most technologically advanced and wealthiest companies in the globe. They have the tools and resources to fight hatred. Too many times, they’ve jeopardised people for profit.

Enough is enough. Social media companies do not have any excuses. Once this Bill passes through Parliament they will not be able to stop it.

SOcial media firms will be required by law to combat abuse by anonymous internet trolls

John Stevens, Deputy Politic Editor at The Daily Mail

The Culture Secretary promises today that social media firms will be required to combat abuse by anonymous online terrorists.

Nadine Dorries would like to tighten the legislation so that web giants have an obligation to protect users against hate speech from those hiding their identities.

She will revisit a new internet safety law in the wake of the death of Sir David Amess, Tory MP.

Writing in the Daily Mail, Mrs Dorries sets out her position for the first time since she was promoted to the Cabinet in last month’s reshuffle.

The Online Safety Bill – which the Prime Minister has pledged will be voted on by MPs before Christmas – will ‘end anonymous abuse’, she promises.

Nadine Dorries wants to toughen legislation so web giants have a duty to protect users from hate spewed by those hiding their identity. She will re-examine a new internet safety law to see how it can be hardened in the wake of the murder of Tory MP Sir David Amess (pictured)

Nadine Dorries is pushing for tougher legislation to ensure web giants have a duty of protection against hate speech from those hiding their identities. She will review a new law on internet safety to see how it can improve in the wake of the death of Sir David Amess, Tory MP.

‘If it’s racist, if it’s misogynistic, if it’s anti-Semitic – if it’s any kind of toxic content that breaks a social media company’s terms and conditions, whether hiding behind a fake name or not, it will have to be removed,’ she writes.

Following discussion in the past week over the issue of anonymity, Mrs Dorries says she recognises ‘we may want to strengthen the tools we have to fight this abuse’.

‘The Government has decided to re-examine how our legislation can go even further to ensure the biggest social media companies properly protect users from anonymous abuse,’ she adds.

The MP for Mid Bedfordshire believes anonyme trolls are traceable if social media companies share information.

Abuse she has faced online included a post from someone hiding their identity which said they wanted to see her trapped in a burning car so they could ‘watch the heat from the flames melt the flesh on [her] face’.

The MP for Mid Bedfordshire believes anonymous trolls can be traced if social media companies readily share information

The MP for Mid Bedfordshire believes that anonymous trolls can easily be traced if social networking companies share information readily

The perpetrator was ultimately found to have been a student at Oxford. Mrs Dorries stated that police have the power to deal with anonymous trolling, but that social media companies must give individuals more information faster.

Existing legislation under which tech platforms could be forced to reveal the identity trolls victims to them has been criticised for being too slow and complicated to use.

Frances Haugen, Facebook whistleblower, will meet the Culture Secretary next week.

A former product manager for the tech giant, she has been responsible for a series of bombshell leaks that she says shows the social media giant has prioritised ‘growth over safety’.

The Online Safety Bill will place the responsibility on technology platforms to prevent abuse. Ofcom is their regulator. The draft legislation is currently being vetted by MPs as well as peers.