Open Rights GroupMay 16, 2025

This week we published our report into the UK Online Safety Act.

We warn that the Act disproportionately impacts small sites, tipping the balance of power further towards Big Tech and threatening our freedom of expression online.

Read now ➡️ https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/how-to-fix-the-online-safety-act-a-rights-first-approach/

🗣️ @Bernard – co-author of 'How to Fix the Online Safety Act: A Rights First Approach'.

#OnlineSafetyAct #OSA #freedomofexpression #ofcom #ukpolitics #ukpol #netplurality #SaveOurSites

How to Fix the Online Safety Act: A Rights First Approach

In this report, we analyse the Online Safety Act (OSA or ‘the Act’) 2023, which imposes new duties on online service providers to protect children from harmful content, and Ofcom’s guidance to compliance with these duties.

Open Rights Group
Show threadOpen Rights GroupMay 15, 2025

The UK Online Safety Act threatens net plurality.

ORG calls on the government not to centralise power in monopoly Big Tech. We need measures to introduce competition, so users can choose platform experiences they can trust.

Write to your MP #SaveOurSites ⬇️

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/save-our-sites-write-your-mp

#OnlineSafetyAct #OSA #freedomofexpression #netplurality #ukpolitics #ukpol

Save our sites - Write to your MP

Small UK websites, user-to-user services and even computer games that are completely safe and well managed, are faced with difficult paperwork, risks assessments, registration and fines thanks to the Online Safety Act. Even personal blogs with comments are forced to undergo these difficult tests and compliance tasks. Getting it wrong or ignoring them could cost an operator their house – as fines can be imposed for failing to do them. As a result, many small websites in the UK are deciding to close down.

Open Rights Group
Show threadOpen Rights GroupMay 15, 2025

In trying to tackle the worst of the web, we're harming the best of it.

In the face of onerous duties, sites may simply block UK users. And with it goes our right to access information.

That's why @wikipedia has launched a judicial review of the #OnlineSafetyAct.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62j2gr8866o

#OSA #freedomofexpression #netplurality #OnlineSafety #ukpolitics #ukpol #wikipedia #SaveOurSites

Wikipedia legally challenges 'flawed' online safety rules

It argues the regulations could threaten the privacy and safety of Wikipedia's volunteer contributors.

BBC News
Show threadOpen Rights GroupMay 15, 2025

Online safety duties disproportionately impact small and medium-sized businesses, even if run voluntarily.

Many sites are closing already, including a hamster forum, a local residents group and a video game that had been running for 19 years 🤷‍♂️

#OnlineSafetyAct

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/18/hamster-forum-local-residents-websites-shut-down-new-laws/

#OSA #freedomofexpression #OnlineSafety #ukpolitics #ukpol #bigtech #SaveOurSites

Hamster forum and local residents’ websites shut down by new internet laws

Scope and scale of Online Safety Act likened to China’s ‘great firewall’ as small websites struggle to comply

The Telegraph
Open Rights GroupMay 15, 2025

NEW REPORT: How to fix the UK Online Safety Act.

This broken legislation weighs heavy on small sites, exerting a burden that only Big Tech can withstand.

It further concentrates the market dominance of platforms that have incubated harmful content.

Instead we need greater user choice and voice over platforms.

Read more about our report ⬇️

https://www.openrightsgroup.org/press-releases/online-safety-act-entrenches-big-tech-market-dominance-new-report-finds/

#OnlineSafetyAct #OSA #freedomofexpression #ukpolitics #ukpol #onlinesafety #bigtech #SaveOurSites #netplurality

Online Safety Act Entrenches Big Tech Market Dominance, New Report Finds

A new report by digital campaigners, the Open Rights Group, outlines how the Online Safety Act favours big tech, and harms small websites and the general public.

Open Rights Group
Show threadOpen Rights GroupMay 8, 2025

The UK government must change the categorisation of sites under the Online Safety Act to protect net plurality.

Small and well moderated sites should be exempt from these duties to stop them from closing or blocking UK users.

Tell your MP to #SaveOurSites ⬇️

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/save-our-sites-write-your-mp

#OnlineSafetyAct #OSA #NetPlurality #ukpolitics #ukpol #wikipedia #freedomofexpression

Save our sites - Write to your MP

Small UK websites, user-to-user services and even computer games that are completely safe and well managed, are faced with difficult paperwork, risks assessments, registration and fines thanks to the Online Safety Act. Even personal blogs with comments are forced to undergo these difficult tests and compliance tasks. Getting it wrong or ignoring them could cost an operator their house – as fines can be imposed for failing to do them. As a result, many small websites in the UK are deciding to close down.

Open Rights Group
Open Rights GroupMay 8, 2025

Wikipedia @wikimediauk are going to court over the UK Online Safety Act!

Saddling platforms with hefty duties and penalties under the new regime will cause many safe sites to fold.

We can't lose the best of the web due to laws that were meant to tackle the worst of it.

#SaveOurSites

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62j2gr8866o

#OnlineSafetyAct #OSA #NetPlurality #ukpol #ukpolitics #wikipedia #freedomofexpression

Wikipedia legally challenges 'flawed' online safety rules

It argues the regulations could threaten the privacy and safety of Wikipedia's volunteer contributors.

BBC News
Show threadOpen Rights GroupApr 24, 2025

Competition makes for a safer Internet.

We urge UK Ministers to exempt small community sites that are at little risk of hosting harmful content and not force them to collapse under the weight of disproportionate duties.

Write to your MP to #SaveOurSites ⬇️

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/save-our-sites-write-your-mp

#onlinesafetyact #onlinesafety #ofcom #netplurality #freedomofexpression #fediverse #mastodon #ukpolitics #ukpol

Save our sites - Write to your MP

Small UK websites, user-to-user services and even computer games that are completely safe and well managed, are faced with difficult paperwork, risks assessments, registration and fines thanks to the Online Safety Act. Even personal blogs with comments are forced to undergo these difficult tests and compliance tasks. Getting it wrong or ignoring them could cost an operator their house – as fines can be imposed for failing to do them. As a result, many small websites in the UK are deciding to close down.

Open Rights Group
Show threadOpen Rights GroupApr 24, 2025

We need to break down the monopoly walled gardens.

Online safety can come from people freely choosing platforms that respect their privacy and align with their values.

Taking active steps to force small sites to shut down or block UK users plays into the hands of monopoly control of the Internet.

#SaveOurSites

#onlinesafetyact #ofcom #onlinesafety #netplurality #freedomofexpression #fediverse #mastodon #ukpolitics #ukpol

Show threadOpen Rights GroupApr 24, 2025

Net plurality gives us choice and voice on the Internet, so communities of interest can grow with user-driven moderation.

Online Safety duties will put community groups off small web projects and entrench the power of Big Tech who have the resources to deal with so much regulation.

#SaveOurSites

#onlinesafetyact #ofcom #onlinesafety #fediverse #netplurality #freedomofexpression #mastodon #ukpolitics #ukpol