The UK government on Saturday, August 2, defended its new online safety law following strong criticism from social media platform X, insisting that claims it compromises free speech are “demonstrably false”.
The law, which came into force on July 25, mandates online platforms to implement measures to prevent children from accessing harmful content, including pornography.
However, X, the platform formerly known as Twitter and owned by billionaire Elon Musk, raised concerns on Friday, warning that “the act’s laudable intentions are at risk of being overshadowed by the breadth of its regulatory reach”.
“Without a more balanced, collaborative approach, free speech will suffer,” the company stated, describing regulators' actions as a “heavy-handed approach”.
“When lawmakers approved these measures, they made a conscientious decision to increase censorship in the name of ‘online safety,’” X added.
In response, a government spokesperson said, “It is demonstrably false that the Online Safety Act compromises free speech.”
“As well as legal duties to keep children safe, the very same law places clear and unequivocal duties on platforms to protect freedom of expression,” the spokesperson said.
The government clarified that the law “does not require platforms to age gate any content other than those which present the most serious risks to children, such as pornography or suicide and self-harm content,” adding that “platforms have had several months to prepare”.
Under the law, platforms that fail to comply face penalties of up to £18 million ($24 million), or 10 per cent of their global turnover, whichever is greater.