Tom Gordon MP Presses Regulators and Minister on Readiness to Tackle Emerging Tech Risks

Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough and a member of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, has pressed both regulators and a Government Minister on whether they have the flexibility and capacity needed to keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies.

During a recent committee session, Tom raised concerns that key regulators—such as Ofcom and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)—may be struggling to stay ahead of fast-moving developments, particularly in areas like artificial intelligence and online harms.

He also challenged representatives on how they are preparing to address specific threats such as deepfakes, which pose growing risks to personal privacy and public trust.

Responding to his questions, Tom was told about ongoing cross-organisational efforts to coordinate a forward-looking approach to regulation in the digital age.

Commenting, Tom Gordon MP said:

“Regulators must be ahead of the curve—not scrambling to catch up—when it comes to emerging technologies. The pace of change is staggering, especially with AI, and unless we act now, the risks could outpace our ability to manage them.

We need a proactive, not reactive, approach to tech regulation—one that protects people’s rights and privacy while also supporting innovation.

I’ll continue working through the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee to make sure we’re asking the right questions and putting the right safeguards in place to harness new technologies safely and responsibly.”

ENDS