Online Safety Act

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The Online Safety Act 2023 is a United Kingdom law designed to regulate online content and impose new safety duties on digital platforms. Enforced by Ofcom, the Act grants regulators powers to fine or restrict access to services that fail to address harmful or illegal online material.^{[citation needed]} Marketed as a measure to protect children and vulnerable users, the Act has attracted significant criticism regarding its impact on consumer rights, free expression, and digital privacy.^{[citation needed]}

Consumer-impact summary

Freedom

The Act requires platforms to proactively monitor and remove "harmful" content. Critics argue this could incentivize excessive content moderation, limiting freedom of expression and legitimate debate online.^{[citation needed]} Civil liberties groups warn that consumers may face reduced access to lawful content due to companies’ fear of regulatory penalties.^{[citation needed]}

Privacy

The law empowers Ofcom to compel messaging services to implement scanning tools, including within encrypted channels.^{[citation needed]} Privacy advocates argue this effectively undermines end-to-end encryption, forcing consumers to compromise their security for compliance.^{[citation needed]} Services like Signal and WhatsApp have threatened to withdraw from the UK rather than weaken user privacy protections.^{[citation needed]}

Business model

Compliance requirements are resource-intensive, potentially disadvantaging smaller firms and startups.^{[citation needed]} Critics suggest this entrenches the dominance of large technology companies, limiting consumer choice and concentrating control in fewer providers.^{[citation needed]}

Market control

By vesting Ofcom with extensive enforcement powers, the Act centralises control over digital communication. While intended to safeguard consumers, opponents argue it risks government overreach and reduced autonomy for users to determine how their data and communications are managed.^{[citation needed]}

Incidents

Encryption controversy (2023)

Major technology firms, including Meta and apple, publicly opposed provisions requiring proactive content detection in encrypted messaging.^{[citation needed]} They argued the law would compromise encryption or make the UK an unviable market for secure communications, impacting millions of consumers.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Ofcom
• Data Protection Act 2018
• Freedom of expression in the United Kingdom
• General Data Protection Regulation