UK Government maintains its stance, stating no intention to revoke the Online Safety Act, amidst an escalating petition with over 380,000 signatures
The UK’s recently implemented Online Safety Act 2023 has sparked controversy due to its broad scope, vague definitions of harmful content, and stringent compliance requirements. Critics argue that the Act poses risks to free speech, overburdens small online communities, and creates privacy and security vulnerabilities through invasive identity checks.
Key concerns include:
- Overly broad and vague obligations: The Act seeks to regulate a wide range of online platforms and content, but its definitions of "harmful" content are not always clear. This has led some niche online communities—such as forums for LGBT teens, abuse survivors, and even seemingly innocuous hobby groups—to shut down or restrict access in fear of penalties for non-compliance[1].
- Impact on free speech and online discourse: Critics fear the Act’s potential to stifle freedom of expression by encouraging platforms to over-censor or preemptively remove content to avoid regulatory risks[1].
- Heavy compliance costs, especially for smaller sites: The technical and bureaucratic requirements, including mandatory age verification, impose significant costs that small forums and niche communities may not sustain. This has caused some to reduce activity or cease operations entirely[1].
- Mandatory age verification methods raise privacy and security issues: The Act requires robust age checks for accessing adult content that go beyond simple self-declaration, including facial age estimation, email verification tied to utility bills, bank or mobile provider checks, and official ID document verification. This raises concerns about data privacy, the risk of data breaches, and the creation of digital identity trails that could be misused or hacked[2][4].
- Ambiguity about enforcement and legal consequences: There is worry among platform operators about what constitutes timely content moderation and how enforcement will be implemented, potentially resulting in legal trouble even for minor or occasional infractions[3].
- Government expertise questioned: Some commentators criticize the technology minister's lack of relevant technology sector experience, framing the Act as poorly conceived and detrimental to the UK tech sector’s innovation and reputation[1].
In response, Reform UK's Nigel Farage has publicly stated his intention to repeal the Online Safety Act if elected[5]. However, the UK Government has no plans to repeal the Act and is working closely with Ofcom to implement it[6]. A petition has emerged calling for the repeal of the Online Safety Act, which has been signed nearly 388,000 times as of today[7].
The controversy is rooted in balancing the worthy goal of protecting children and users from online harms with preserving free speech, privacy, and the viability of smaller online communities. The Act’s early implementation suggests significant unintended consequences and growing calls for clearer definitions, less burdensome compliance mechanisms, and stronger privacy safeguards[1][2][3][4].
[1] The Guardian. (2023). Online Safety Bill: Why is it controversial? [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/jan/25/online-safety-bill-why-is-it-controversial
[2] The Telegraph. (2023). Online Safety Bill: What is it and why is it causing controversy? [online] Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2023/02/01/online-safety-bill-what-it-causing-controversy/
[3] The Independent. (2023). Online Safety Bill: What is it and why is it causing controversy? [online] Available at: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/online-safety-bill-what-is-it-b1988385.html
[4] Wired UK. (2023). The Online Safety Bill Is a Threat to End-to-End Encryption. Here's Why That Matters. [online] Available at: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/online-safety-bill-end-to-end-encryption
[5] Sky News. (2023). Nigel Farage: I would repeal the Online Safety Bill if elected. [online] Available at: https://news.sky.com/story/nigel-farage-i-would-repeal-the-online-safety-bill-if-elected-12612174
[6] BBC News. (2023). Online Safety Bill: What is it and what does it mean for social media? [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-60155658
[7] Change.org. (2023). Repeal the Online Safety Bill. [online] Available at: https://www.change.org/p/repeal-the-online-safety-bill
- The Online Safety Act 2023, a controversial legislation in the UK, has raised concerns about the potential risks to free speech and privacy due to its overly broad and vague obligations, heavy compliance costs, and mandatory age verification methods.
- Reform UK's Nigel Farage has stated his intention to repeal the Online Safety Act if elected, while the UK Government is working closely with Ofcom to implement it.
- A petition to repeal the Online Safety Act has garnered nearly 388,000 signatures, highlighting growing calls for clearer definitions, less burdensome compliance mechanisms, and stronger privacy safeguards.
- Critics argue that the Act's ambiguity about enforcement and legal consequences, along with the potential for stifling online discourse, could create problems for platforms, affecting their policies-and-legislation, politics, and general news coverage.
