LabourList – ‘Labour can’t ignore the Online Safety Act’s harms ‒ it must act to fix them’

Although it became law almost two years ago, the UK’s Online Safety Act is finally biting. This week, internet users in the UK will have found themselves blocked from accessing all kinds of content, from Goya paintings and Livy quotes to satirical tweets about the Prime Minister.

The backlash to the newly age-gated internet have been loud and immediate, but we are still only in the early stages of the Act’s implementation. UK users will soon face further waves of restrictions on what they can access and say online, as more complex provisions and obligations come into force over the coming months.

Although the new restrictions for access to porn sites have grabbed the headlines (and launched a thousand memes), the categories of speech that must now be blocked for UK users are far broader than just pornography. Content that is considered harmful to children must now be age-gated for everyone.

‘Censorship has ranged from the absurd to the deeply troubling’

In just one week, censorship has ranged from the absurd to the deeply troubling. Internet users in the UK trying to access support pages for alcohol addiction or child sexual abuse will now find their way barred. Survivors of sexual assault can no longer freely access advice and support groups on Reddit. Content about the wars in Gaza and Ukraine has similarly been blocked.

There are even alarming reports of social media sites blocking political and legal content, with UK users unable to see parliamentary speeches and legislative amendments calling for an inquiry into grooming gangs without first verifying their age.

When faced with complex obligations and massive fines, many platforms will give up any attempt to allow free discourse online, and will instead clamp down on all speech – with no nuance or respect for our right to share and seek information.

Effectively, UK internet users now only have access to a childproofed version of the internet, unless they undergo online age verification. Platforms are farming these checks out to a host of third party companies, which can request a range of deeply personal information, from biometric face scans to copies of passports. The risk of a data breach or hack could be devastating. Understandably, many users, particularly LGBTQ people, victims of stalking or domestic violence, whistleblowers, and journalists will feel uncomfortable handing over their ID and linking it to their online activity.

‘The government appears to have stuck its fingers in its ears’

As has been the case in so many areas of public life, the outgoing Conservative government left behind a mess. The Online Safety Act is no different – sloppily drafted, vague and over-broad, and handing any future Secretary of Sate considerable power to designate certain kinds of content as ‘harmful’ and worthy of censorship.

While the Act was hauled through parliament by a succession of Conservative governments and an ever-changing roster of ministers, the Labour opposition provided no meaningful scrutiny. What could have been an opportunity for thoughtful and detailed technology policy was lost and the only criticism from the Labour benches was that the Bill did not go far enough.

Inflammatory statements from the Secretary of State for Technology haven’t helped, accusing anyone with criticism of the Act as “being on the side of predators”. Rather than seriously engaging with the widespread and valid concerns of the past week, the government appears to have has stuck its fingers in its ears.

Censorship and surveillance are not silver bullet solutions to a generation of children being sucked into wormholes of harmful online content. Instead, adults and children alike are being placed at risk of security breaches, hacks, leaks, digital exclusion and a shuttered internet. The Online Safety Act is not fit for purpose.

Rather than carrying this Tory albatross around their necks, the Labour government should return to the drawing board to make sure we’re all safe online, without sacrificing our most fundamental rights.

LabourList – ‘Labour can’t ignore the Online Safety Act’s harms ‒ it must act to fix them’

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