(Reuters) - The UK government is working on plans to set up an internet regulator, Buzzfeed News reported on Thursday.
The regulator would, if established, hold technology companies accountable for content published on their websites and sanction sites if they failed to take down illegal material and hate speech within hours, the report said.
Buzzfeed said it had obtained details of the proposals, which would be put out for consultation later in the year. It did not say how it obtained them.
The body will regulate broadcasters, telecoms and postal communications, it said. The legislation is being drafted by the Home Office and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and will be announced in a few months' time.
The proposals are in the development stage, the report added.
"We are considering all options, including what legislation will be necessary and whether a regulator is needed," Buzzfeed quoted a government spokesperson as saying.