LONDON — A UK proposal to require greater transparency from automated website crawlers has been delayed, leaving publishers waiting for its next parliamentary opportunity.
An objection in the House of Commons on October 16 prevented the Automated Online Software (Access and Transparency) Bill from receiving its second reading. The official parliamentary record lists November 27, 2026, as the next second-reading date.
The bill remains a proposal. It has not passed this stage, become law or been withdrawn. Hansard records an objection but does not identify the member responsible in the entry.
Why it matters to publishers
Conservative MP Damian Hinds’ private member’s bill proposes disclosure requirements for automated software accessing online material, including information about operators and intended uses. Its proposed publisher enforcement powers would give news businesses another route to challenge undisclosed or misleading automated access.
For broadcasters and independent news websites, the immediate result is a delay: those proposed powers are not available under this bill. The postponement changes no existing copyright rights and settles no question about whether AI training or generated outputs infringe copyright.
The RNN question
Can publishers obtain practical visibility into who collects their reporting—and for what purpose—while the legislative process continues? November 27 is the next scheduled step, not a guarantee of passage.
The objection was a procedural setback. It should not be characterized as a vote rejecting the bill’s substance.
Sources: House of Commons proceedings, October 16; official bill record.
General information, not legal advice.