London (AFP)
The British government on Tuesday called on social media to create a guide to tell candidates in the December 12 legislative elections how to report hate online.
"We would like to work with [social networks] to produce a unique guide for candidates," said a spokesman for Downing Street.
This guide would explain the rules of the various companies on abuse, how to report violations and what response can be expected, he detailed.
Several MPs - including two Conservative ministers, Nicky Morgan (Culture) and Amber Rudd (Interior) - have even given up on representing themselves, citing harassment and threats.
In 2016, a week before the referendum on Brexit, Labor and pro-European MP Jo Cox was murdered by a neo-Nazi sympathizer, a drama that had marked public opinion.
The government will also ask social networks for preventive actions to prevent candidates from being the target of online harassment, encouraging different companies like Facebook or Twitter to "work together during the campaign".
The issue of candidate safety was discussed at the last government meeting before the legislative elections.
"Those who intimidate public figures must be held accountable," the Downing Street spokesman said.
© 2019 AFP