A WORCESTERSHIRE MP is leading the charge for internet giants like Facebook to ban 'fake news' and illicit material.

Nigel Huddleston says social media entities like Twitter and Facebook need to clean up some of the misleading or harmful content on their sites.

The Conservative, who used to work for Google, is among a number of parliamentarians pushing for a 'code of conduct' to be enshrined in UK law.

He said major web companies "need to take their responsibilities far more seriously than they have of late".

Speaking in the Commons, he said: "Every single day Google removes 200,000 videos that have been flagged as inappropriate - 92 million were removed by Google for being inappropriate on Youtube last year.

"Clearly they are being active and the other social media platforms, particularly Facebook and Twitter are being somewhat active.

"But we have to send a message, very loudly and very clearly, certainly when we look at the social media code of conduct that they are doing something they are 'not doing enough'.

"If that means they have to spend millions, tens of millions or even billions working on making sure that we, our children and our families are protected and can operate online in safety, then so be it."

He also told MPs the major internet firms should earmark money towards judging the "appropriateness" of online content.

His remarks came during a debate into Lords' amendments to the Digital Economy Bill, which includes measures aimed at reducing online pornography and ticket touts.

MPs agreed to amend the Bill to develop a 'code of practice' for providers of online social media sites.

Fellow MP Claire Perry said: "Time is running out for companies like Facebook to say 'we're really sorry a photograph of a man hanging his 18-month old baby, a video, was on the internet'."

Damian Collins, chairman of the culture, media and sport select committee, called a code of conduct were "an important first step".

MPs agreed to amend the Bill to include a code of practice for providers of online social media sites.

The debate comes after Henry Faure Walker, the chief executive of Worcester News' parent company Newsquest, said the likes of Google and Facebook "don't have credible answers" over the spread of fake or illicit material online.