Major websites for online learning
Studying is very important for each and every person and the study method is also applied differently. Nowadays, the internet is booming and many people are turning to it in almost every aspect of life, even education. There are many people who always want to expand their knowledge but do not have time to go to school or training center directly. Others want to start learning online but do not know which website has the best lessons for them. Here are some websites that everyone can choose for personal study:1. www.coursera.orgCoursera has collaborated with several major universities in the United States and some universities around the world in order to create video lessons for dozens of subjects.2. www.lynda.comLynda is a website that recruits highly experienced people to create a more effective tutorial.3. www.udemy.comUdemy is a website that regularly posts new tutorial videos, an average of 800 lessons every month. On the other hand, this website has posted short videos for each lesson to make it easier to choose.4. www.udacity.comUdacity is a website for those who focus on new technologies. If you are looking for science related lessons, this website is the best choice.5. www.khanacademy.orgKhanacademy is a website that offers free education. It is a place where video lessons are mixed with text lessons for students to learn and practice.
Meta's Whatsapp messenger faces disruption for tens of thousands of users around the world
Thousands of users of Meta Whatsapp's Messenger have been reported on Wednesday, according to a report on the website of an online data monitoring platform called Downdetector in the United States, there are problems in the process of using this social networking application.According to the report, 12,000 Whatsapp users reported malicious use of the app to the download site.In addition to US users, there have been tens of thousands of WhatsApp crashes for users in other countries, including more than 20,000 in India and nearly 50,000 in the United Kingdom while Brazil has more than 40,000 cases.In addition, nearly 50,000 Meta Instagram users in the United States have faced similar technical issues, while Meta has not yet commented on the situation. The crash of Meta Whatsapp and Instagram now comes about a month after the Facebook social network crashed for more than two hours and disrupted hundreds of thousands of users around the world.
Cambodia’s Digitalization Advances In Remarkable Pace
Phnom Penh, March 11, 2024 --Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet has noted the rapid progress of the digitalisation in Cambodia in recent years.“The digitalisation in Cambodia has progressed at a remarkable pace in the past years. The COVID-19 crisis has spurred the use of digital technology more than ever before,” he said at the opening ceremony of the 1st Digital Government Forum, held here at the Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Centre this morning.The Premier continued that digital payments have reached some US$492 billion in 2023, about 16 times of GDP, while the number of registered mobile internet users and mobile subscribers has increased to more than 19 million last year.Moreover, Samdech Thipadei mentioned about the Royal Government’s official verification platform – verify.gov.kh – which has recently won a Gold Medal in the ASEAN Digital Awards 2024, stressing that the platform will play a significant role in providing all kinds of public services for the benefit of the Cambodian people.Besides, he added, the Cambodia Data Exchange (CamDX), a key platform being actively used by public and private institutions to share and exchange data in the common ecosystem, grabbed the Open Source Adaption of the Year Award 2022 from the Future of Government Awards. This is another source of pride for the Royal Government of Cambodia for its efforts in digitalisation in government.Samdech Hun Manet stated that the Royal Government has been implementing the digital policy agenda with a proactive and open spirit in order to achieve the national digital development goals and regional and global digital development goals as set out in the ASEAN Digital Masterplan 2025 and the Digital Strategy 2022-2025 of the United Nations.In addition, he underlined, Cambodia has been joining other ASEAN member countries in advancing the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement, which is expected to increase the volume of ASEAN digital economy from US$1 trillion to US$2 trillion annually by 2030.
First Ever Digital Government Forum Kicks Off
Phnom Penh, March 11, 2024 --The 1st Digital Government Forum (DGF) kicked off here at the Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Centre this morning under the presidency of Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet.The three-day event is organised by the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications and attended by many experts, and senior officials from Cambodia and ASEAN.H.E. Dr. Chea Vandeth, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications said digital technology is an important sector in this age of digital revolution to drive economic and social development.The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) led by former Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen has set out a digital economic and social policy, and the work has become clearer in the Pentagonal Strategy-Phase 1 of the new mandate RGC led by Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet.“This forum aims to share experiences of digital government revolution and to strengthen and expand cooperation among digital revolution experts of the countries in the region, as well as to highlight the achievements of the Digital Government Committee, which was established about 18 months ago in accordance with the Digital Economic and Social Policy Framework 2021-2035 and the Digital Government Policy of Cambodia 2022-2035 in particular,” he underlined.The forum is divided into two sections, the first of which is a workshop format with discussions and sharing on key topics from national and international speakers on policy aspects, growth trends of digital technology, and with exchange of experiences and excellence in accelerating the digital revolution and the use of new technologies; while the second part is a digital exhibition format with exhibitions of digital technologies, products and solutions for the digital government, with the participation of ministries, institutions and national and international companies.
Information Senior Officials To Attend Training Course On Leading Digital Transformation Tomorrow
Phnom Penh, February 20, 2024 --Senior officials of the Ministry of Information are going to join their counterparts from other ministries and institutions in a three-day training course on Leading Digital Transformation at the Institute of Digital Governance (IDG).The course aims to get basic concepts in leading digital transformation to contribute to the implementation of Cambodia Digital Government Policy 2022-2035.The short training course is scheduled on Feb. 21-23 and Mar. 13-15 for the 1st session and 2nd session, respectively, for the level from Deputy Director General to Secretary of State.Once completed, the trainees will be aware of the current situation of the revolution of digital technology, the roles of digital technology in development process, digital use and practice in socio-economic development, and gain advantages from the potential of technology.In addition, they will be alert to the roles of digital technology in economic sector, leading digital transformation, and fourth industrial revolution (4IR), plus general situation of digital governance and its significances in ministries/institutions.Moreover, the participants will comprehend Cambodia Digital Economic and Society Policy 2021-2035 and Cambodia Digital Government Policy 2022-2035, along with information identification needed via Internet, searching information securely via Google and social networks, as well as fact and fake news identification.Furthermore, the applicants will gain knowledge in information security and privacy, information security threats, law on international cyber security, and recommendations on cyber security.
Cambodia, WB To Boost Health Collaboration
Phnom Penh, February 01, 2024 --Cambodia and the World Bank (WB) have vowed to further strengthen and expand their health collaboration, especially in ensuring the effectiveness of the existing cooperation projects.The commitment was made in a courtesy meeting between H.E. Koy Vanny, Secretary of State at the Cambodian Ministry of Health and visiting Dr. Ronald Upenyu Mutasa, WB’s East Asia and Pacific Regional Operations Manager for Health, Nutrition and Population, in Phnom Penh on Jan. 31.Both sides discussed the outcomes, challenges and solutions of the ongoing projects, including Cambodian Nutrition Project, Strengthening Pre-Service Education System for Health Professionals Project, and the Health Equity and Quality Improvement Project-Phase 2 (H-EQIP-2).H.E. Koy Vanny spoke highly of the significance of the above-said projects in contribution to the achievement of the health strategic plan as well as health priorities toward the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in accordance with the Pentagonal Strategy of the 7th-mandate Royal Government of Cambodia.For his part, Dr. Ronald Upenyu Mutasa said the ongoing projects demonstrate the Royal Government’s commitment to enhancing the people’s health and the strong partnership between the WB and the Ministry of Health.
Some 1,300 Underprivileged Students Enroll at NPIC
Phnom Penh, December 25, 2023 --Since the official launch of the technical and vocational training programme for poor and vulnerable youths last month, some 1,300 young people have enrolled at the National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia (NPIC).The figure was shared recently by H.E. Bun Phearin, NPIC Director, reaffirming the institute’s readiness to contribute to the Royal Government’s efforts in equipping underprivileged youths with technical and vocational skills.NPIC is a non-profit institution whose only goal is to focus on the quality of training, underlined the director.According to H.E. Kata Orn, Secretary of State and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, 13,587 young people from across the country have so far registered for the training programme.On Nov. 14, 2023, Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, officially launched the technical and vocational training programme for 1.5 million young people from poor and vulnerable families.
Some 1,300 Underprivileged Students Enroll at NPIC
Phnom Penh, December 25, 2023 --Since the official launch of the technical and vocational training programme for poor and vulnerable youths last month, some 1,300 young people have enrolled at the National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia (NPIC).The figure was shared recently by H.E. Bun Phearin, NPIC Director, reaffirming the institute’s readiness to contribute to the Royal Government’s efforts in equipping underprivileged youths with technical and vocational skills.NPIC is a non-profit institution whose only goal is to focus on the quality of training, underlined the director.According to H.E. Kata Orn, Secretary of State and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, 13,587 young people from across the country have so far registered for the training programme.On Nov. 14, 2023, Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, officially launched the technical and vocational training programme for 1.5 million young people from poor and vulnerable families.
Subway Network, More Public Transport and Air Routes in Government’s Pipeline
Phnom Penh, November 16, 2023 --The Royal Government of Cambodia is further expanding public transport, firming up a subway network, and increasing air routes.Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet shared the plans when presiding over the official inauguration of the Twin Dragon Bridge connecting National Road 1 to Koh Norea development area and the cable-stayed concrete bridge connecting Koh Norea to Koh Pich satellite city in Phnom Penh in the afternoon of Nov. 15.Promoting public transportation means and infrastructure is a top priority of the Royal Government of Cambodia to ease mobility and expand key cities.With a green approach centred around the reduction of emissions and environmental conservation, the endeavour will serve as a backbone and accelerate inclusive and sustainable growth.The Royal Government of the 7th legislature of National Assembly is focusing on five key priorities: people, roads, water, electricity, and technology.
API Linkage on Investor ID Online and Trading Account Online Launched
Phnom Penh, October 25, 2023 --Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia (SERC) and Cambodia Securities Exchange (CSX) signed on here today the API (Application programming interface) linkage on investor ID online of Securities and Exchange Regulator of Cambodia and opening trading account online of Cambodia Securities Exchange.The linkage will make it possible to open a trading account promptly, especially online trading accounts, according to a statement.The linkage makes a complete creation of an online trading account opening system, where investors can quickly request an investor identification number and open a single account, read the statement.Investors will get securities trading accounts instantly and efficiently. After getting an account, investors can deposit money into a trading account and start investing immediately, it said.H.E. Hong Sok Hour, CEO of CSX, said that the securities market is growing rapidly, with the number of investors sharply increasing by about 40 percent in 2023 to about 13,000 accounts and is expected to increase to about 100 percent to roughly 30,000 and 50,000 accounts in 2024 after launching trading accounts online.“While we can open trading accounts immediately and easily, most stock prices are so cheap and attractive that I can call it a golden opportunity for investors,” H.E. Hong Sok Hour underlined.CSX has received a total of 20 listed companies, including 11 equity firms and nine corporate bond firms, collecting a total capital of US$330 million.
MPWT, AI Technology Pte. Ltd. Discuss Cooperation in AI Modernisation in Cambodia
Phnom Penh, October 17, 2023 --Cambodia’s Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MPWT) and AI Technology Pte. Ltd. has discussed the possibility of cooperation in the modernisation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in contribution to Cambodia's infrastructure development.The discussion took place here on Oct. 16 between H.E. Peng Ponea, Minister of Public Works and Transport and Mr. Lim Hua Nam, Director General of AI Technology Pte. Ltd.According to MPWT, the cooperation will contribute to the development of road, railway and waterway in Cambodia, with an aim to modernise the sector of public works and transport with high resilience in accordance with the digital society.Such the cooperation will also contribute to the Pentagonal Strategy-Phase I of the Royal Government of Cambodia,
Switzerland to Assist Cambodian Technical Training
Phnom Penh, October 11, 2023 --Switzerland has vowed to assist Cambodia in training technical skills to further develop the capacity of Cambodian youth.The commitment was made by H.E. Pedro Zwahlen, Ambassador of Switzerland to Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos, during a meeting with H.E. Heng Suor, Minister of Labour and Vocational Training, here in Phnom Penh on Oct. 9.H.E. Heng Suor recalled Switzerland's contribution to technical skill training for Cambodian trainers and trainees.The capacity development covers green technical training in the north-eastern part of Cambodia, air conditioner maintenance and repair, electrical installation for buildings, motorcycle repair, lime and brick work, and general repair.The minister spoke highly of the support since 2017 that has enabled the trained Cambodian youths to secure decent jobs through the National Employment Agency (NEA) of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training.The two also discussed the draft law on Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), whose technical details will be reviewed in the near future.
Fintech Development Policy Gives Impetus to Cambodia’s Digital Economy and Society Development
Phnom Penh, October 04, 2023 --The Cambodia Financial Technology Development Policy 2023-2028 will give an impetus to the development of Cambodia’s digital economy and society, said H.E. Dr. Aun Pornmoniroth, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance.He made the remarks in a dissemination workshop on “Cambodia Financial Technology Development Policy 2023-2028” at Hyatt Regency Phnom Penh Hotel on Oct. 4.“I firmly believe that the implementation of the policy with high efficiency will help Cambodia to benefit in advance from digitalisation in the financial sector and to provide opportunities to all parties to contribute impetus to the development of Cambodia’s digital economy and society,” H.E. Dr. Aun Pornmoniroth said.The Digital Economy and Business Committee (DEBC) organised the workshop with an aim to widely disseminate the policy in the spirit of promoting the implementation of the policy and continuing to promote the development of FinTech in Cambodia.The workshop was attended by high-ranking officials who are representatives from relevant ministries, public institutions and regulators, embassies, banking and financial institutions, educational institutions, insurance companies, local and international private companies, and other relevant associations.In the process of policy formulation, it pointed out, the DEBC has previously organised five workshops to gather valuable input to ensure the conciseness, flexibility, and inclusiveness of the Policy.The five workshops include (1) The National Consultation Workshop on Policy and Direction of Cambodia's FinTech, (2) The Role of Insurance Sector and FinTech in Digital Economy in Cambodia, (3) The Role of Banking Sector and FinTech in Digital Economy in Cambodia, (4) The FinTech Stage of Cambodia Tech Expo 2022, and (5) The Roles of Decentralised Finance and Data Protection Framework in FinTech Development in Cambodia.
Cambodia Kick-Started Digital Community, Try It
Phnom Penh, September 28, 2023 --The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications has officially launched the Digital Community of Cambodia to promote a pool of digital experts, networking, and knowledge sharing and expansion in the area.H.E. Chea Vandeth, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, presided over the launch of the digital community on Sept. 27 at the Cambodia Academy of Digital Technology.The minister noted that the community will play a crucial role in Cambodia's digital technology human resource development, both within and outside the country.The initiative will ensure the success of the Cambodian Digital Government Policy 2022–2035 rollout and contribute significantly to the realisation of the overarching Pentagonal Strategy Phase I of the Royal Government, he added.It will support the government in identifying, supplying, and engaging digital professionals and workforce for sectors across the country, as well as promoting the digital government.While assisting educational institutions to develop students' digital knowledge, experience, and skills, the community will serve as a connection between qualified candidates for jobs, especially in the private sector.For digital talents and experts, the community will provide them with networking opportunities both to obtain new knowledge and skills and to further advance them.H.E. Chea Vandeth called on all the players and the public to take advantage of the initiative by exploring the digital community's website (https://dcc.gov.kh) and reaching out to the team in charge for detailed information.
S. Korea Assists in Digital Education Training for Cambodian Teachers
Phnom Penh, September 26, 2023 --The Republic of Korea has assisted Cambodia in providing digital education training on "E-Learning Programme for Cambodian Teachers."The training took place in Busan, RoK, from Sept. 18 to 24, with the participation of 20 Cambodian teachers and education staff, including six women, from the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports and schools.Organised by RoK's Busan Educational Department in collaboration with Cambodia's Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports, the training aimed to promote the use of IT to facilitate teaching and learning.Through the training, Cambodian teachers have attained new knowledge and experience responsive to the industrial revolution 4.0 in the education sector, said Mr. Sok Tha, Director of IT Department of the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports.He thanked RoK's Busan Educational Department for organising the important training for Cambodian teachers, with particular focus on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, the artificial study of the metaverse, and coding.The collaboration between Cambodia's Education Ministry and RoK's Busan Educational Department has significantly contributed to reducing the digital gap in Cambodia's education and supporting the ministry's reforms on the development of educational staff capacity.
Cambodia, Vietnam Vow to Foster Information Collaboration
Phnom Penh, September 22, 2023 --Cambodia and Vietnam are committed to further promoting their collaboration on information and broadcasting, especially on the fight against fake news.H.E. Neth Pheaktra, Cambodian Minister of Information, and H.E. Nguyen Manh Hung, Vietnamese Minister of Information and Communications, made the commitment during their bilateral talks in Da Nang, Vietnam on Sept. 21, on the sidelines of the 16th Conference of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) and related meetings.The Cambodian information minister underlined the significance of information cooperation and strengthening of the news quality, adding that in the context of digital society, the current trend in people's access to information is through modern media, especially through the social media like TikTok, Facebook and so on.While providing fast and rich contents, social media also provokes information pollution through ill-will fake news that negatively affects social stability and causes distrusts among people, emphasised H.E. Minister.H.E. Nguyen Manh Hung recalled the good cooperation between the two ministries in human resource training; and reaffirmed that Vietnam's Ministry of Information and Communications is ready to help develop Cambodian information human resources.From his end, H.E. Neth Pheaktra thanked and spoke highly of the Vietnamese information ministry's assistance to Cambodian information ministry in capacity building and broadcasting material support.Both sides agreed to further coordinate the establishment of information gate between the two neighbouring countries.At the end of the meeting, H.E. Neth Pheaktra and H.E. Nguyen Manh Hung signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the field of information and broadcasting.
Telecom operators enhance compliance with mobile subscriber information standards
Currently, to comply with regulations regarding mobile subscriber information updates, telecommunication companies in Cambodia are expediting the process of standardizing information for customers. This ensures that the personal information of both new and active mobile subscribers is authenticated. According to regulations, standardizing mobile subscriber information along with registering subscribers under their true identities will enhance the effectiveness of management efforts, thoroughly address issues such as spam SIM cards and fraudulent documentations.This is also a solution to safeguard the legitimate rights of customers and curtail disputes over numbers, especially concerning attractive phone numbers when subscribers fail to register accurate information. This will subsequently minimize instances of spam messages/calls and fraudulent messages/calls. To swiftly achieve this goal, telecommunication networks are expediting the process of standardizing customer information. At their stores or sales points, these networks have been fully equipped with comprehensive visual media regarding subscriber information updates. Furthermore, to contribute to accelerating the pace of subscriber information standardization, these network providers are also reaching out to coordinate with local authorities in various locations; announcements are made through loudspeakers and robust communication is carried out on social media platforms.According to a representative of Metfone Company, in order to strictly comply with the state regulations on updating authentic subscriber information, Metfone has been actively expediting the process of registering authentic subscriber information for customers. Moreover, to encourage and effectively spread awareness, the company has also introduced a variety of programs and support policies for customers, such as offering incentives like mobile internet data when successfully updating subscriber information. Currently, many countries and regions are imposing stricter regulations on updating mobile subscriber information. This reflects the overall trend of ensuring personal data security and more effective management in the telecommunications industry./.
ABU Asia-Pacific Robot Contest 2023 Kicks Off In Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh, August 27, 2023 --The ABU Asia-Pacific Robot Contest 2023 (ABU ROBOCON 2023) kicked off here at the Morodok Techo National Stadium on Aug. 27.The opening ceremony was presided over by H.E. Neth Pheaktra, Minister of Information and H.E. Heng Sour, Minister of Labour and Vocational Training.Organised by the General Department of National Television of Cambodia (TVK) of the Ministry of Information, the event is aimed to seek annual championships and offer opportunities for students from various countries to demonstrate their technological capabilities and share experiences among the youth.The champions of 13 countries and regions, equivalent to 14 teams, including Cambodia (2 teams), China, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam participated in the regional competition.All teams compete under the theme “Casting Flowers over Angkor Wat”.The ABU ROBOCON is an Asian-Oceanian college robot competition, founded in 2002 by Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union. In the competition, robots compete to complete a task within a set period of time.Cambodia has joined in the ABU Asia-Pacific Robot Contest since 2017, but has organised its national Robocon since 2014. The Kingdom has won best idea award and special award in 2017, 2nd runner-up and special award in 2018, and 5th award and special award in 2020.
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Australia to target Google and Yahoo under internet piracy crackdown
The federal government will target search engines as it expands a crackdown on internet piracy, making it harder for Australians to illegally download free movies and music.In a move hailed by the Australian film industry, the government on Thursday introduced legislation to parliament that would effectively expand the list of websites that companies could seek to have blocked.Under existing laws introduced in 2015, copyright holders can seek an order from the federal court that requires internet service providers to block access to infringing websites.More than one third of music consumers still pirate musicRead moreThe new laws propose to expand this so that complainants could also seek an injunction requiring search engines such as Google and Yahoo to remove or demote search results for piracy websites.Those websites would be considered to have “the primary purpose or primary effect” of infringing on copyright, according to the legislation. The new laws would also allow copyright holders to more easily have mirror sites for piracy websites blocked.Thursday’s announcement comes after a campaign from Australia’s film and television industry, most prominently Foxtel and Village Roadshow. The latter has previously argued that pirates were “facilitated by Google and other search engines” to circumvent Australian laws.Ramon Lobato, a senior research fellow at RMIT’s school of media and communication, said the proposed changes would “significantly expand the scope of the existing site-blocking regime”.“The government is proposing to allow blocking of additional platforms, including cloud storage sites [cyberlockers] that are used for piracy,” he told Guardian Australia. “This could be complex to implement, given that cyberlockers are multifunctional and have both licit and illicit uses. The devil will be in the detail here.In a parliamentary submission earlier in the year, Foxtel had also requested the ability to get an urgent injunction to block sites hosting illegal streams of sporting events broadcast on its channels. So-called “live blocking” is in place in the UK.The government did not allude to such a power on Thursday when announcing the new laws and the legislation did not appear to address the issue.A Foxtel spokesman said: “Foxtel welcomes the introduction of the government’s newly proposed copyright amendment bill, which will strengthen the ability of the creative industry to combat the scourge of online piracy.”The communications minister, Mitch Fifield, said on Thursday he did not want the financial support provided to the nation’s creative industries to be “undone by allowing local creators to be victims of online piracy”.“Online piracy is theft,” he said. “Downloading or streaming a pirated movie or TV show is no different to stealing a DVD from a shop.”'We're told to be grateful we even have readers': pirated ebooks threaten the future of book seriesRead moreThe rise of paid streaming services such as Spotify, Netflix and Stan – which offer a relatively cheap way for consumers to legally access music, films and TV shows – have put a dent in the public’s appetite to access piracy websites.In February, research commissioned by the Australian Screen Association – which lobbies for anti-piracy laws – found visits to piracy websites had fallen by half in a year. It followed the new laws that led to the blocking of websites such as the Pirate Bay.Separate figures released by the Department of Communication in August found the copyright infringement rates for TV series, movies and music had fallen, but increased slightly for video game piracy.Google was contacted for comment.
Tech bosses could face criminal cases over online harm, warns UK minister
Addressing the wider tech industry, Dorries said: “Remove your harmful algorithms today and you will not be subjected – named individuals – to criminal liability and prosecution.”Dorries was speaking to a parliamentary joint committee scrutinising the draft bill, which aims to impose a duty of care on tech firms – with a particular emphasis on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter and video platforms such as YouTube and TikTok – to protect users from harmful content.The bill contains provisions for a deferred power to impose criminal sanctions on executives if they do not respond to information requests from the communications watchdog Ofcom accurately and in a timely manner.Dorries said that power could be brought in within three to six months of the bill becoming law, rather than the two years initially envisaged, and indicated that the criminal sanctions would be extended to cover failing to tackle algorithms that serve up harmful content.“[Platforms] know what they are doing wrong. They have a chance to put that absolutely right, now. Why would we give them two years … to change what they can change today,” she said.Dorries was scathing about Facebook’s rebranding and its investment plans for the metaverse, a virtual world where people will be able to live their social and professional lives through avatars, or animated digital representations of themselves.Referring to Meta’s recent announcement that it would hire 10,000 people in the EU to help build a metaverse, she said: “They are putting ten, twenty thousand engineers on to the metaverse. And rebranding does not work. When harm is caused we are coming after it. Put those ten or twenty thousand now on to abiding by your terms and conditions and to removing your harmful algorithms, because if you don’t this bill will be watertight. I am looking at three to six months for criminal liability.”Meta, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, is under severe political and regulatory pressure on both sides of the Atlantic after revelations by the whistleblower Frances Haugen. The former Facebook employee has detailed how the company was aware that its platforms harmed users and spread misinformation.Addressing the wider tech industry, Dorries said: “Remove your harmful algorithms today and you will not be subjected – named individuals – to criminal liability and prosecution.”Dorries was speaking to a parliamentary joint committee scrutinising the draft bill, which aims to impose a duty of care on tech firms – with a particular emphasis on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter and video platforms such as YouTube and TikTok – to protect users from harmful content.The bill contains provisions for a deferred power to impose criminal sanctions on executives if they do not respond to information requests from the communications watchdog Ofcom accurately and in a timely manner.Dorries said that power could be brought in within three to six months of the bill becoming law, rather than the two years initially envisaged, and indicated that the criminal sanctions would be extended to cover failing to tackle algorithms that serve up harmful content.“[Platforms] know what they are doing wrong. They have a chance to put that absolutely right, now. Why would we give them two years … to change what they can change today,” she said.Dorries was scathing about Facebook’s rebranding and its investment plans for the metaverse, a virtual world where people will be able to live their social and professional lives through avatars, or animated digital representations of themselves.Referring to Meta’s recent announcement that it would hire 10,000 people in the EU to help build a metaverse, she said: “They are putting ten, twenty thousand engineers on to the metaverse. And rebranding does not work. When harm is caused we are coming after it. Put those ten or twenty thousand now on to abiding by your terms and conditions and to removing your harmful algorithms, because if you don’t this bill will be watertight. I am looking at three to six months for criminal liability.”Meta, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp, is under severe political and regulatory pressure on both sides of the Atlantic after revelations by the whistleblower Frances Haugen. The former Facebook employee has detailed how the company was aware that its platforms harmed users and spread misinformation.