(GoRealNewsNow.com) – While the United Kingdom’s Online Safety Bill has introduced a new era of stringent regulations for digital platforms, U.S. tech firms are concerned that the same will happen in the country.
Read the tweet below.
This new law gives unelected bureaucrats unprecedented power to censor content and punish tech companies.
Britain’s media watchdog Ofcom has officially enforced the Online Safety Act, requiring tech platforms to combat what they deem “illegal online content.”
The rule imposes vague “duties of care” on tech firms to manage so-called harmful content on their platforms, opening the door for biased enforcement against conservative viewpoints.
Under this oppressive new regime, tech giants have until March 16, 2025, to comply with a laundry list of regulations, including conducting “illegal harms risk assessments” – a thinly veiled excuse for more censorship.
The law’s scope is breathtakingly broad, covering social media, search engines, messaging apps, gaming, dating apps, and file-sharing sites.
Perhaps most disturbing are enforcement mechanisms. Ofcom can fine companies up to 10% of their global annual revenues for alleged rule breaches. In repeated cases, senior managers are even threatened with jail time.
“We’ll be watching the industry closely to ensure firms match up to the strict safety standards set for them under our first codes and guidance, with further requirements to follow swiftly in the first half of next year,” Ofcom Chief Executive Melanie Dawes said.
Moreover, the UK government claimed this law protects children from online harm, but this is about control.
What is worse, this could be just the beginning. Ofcom plans to consult on additional codes in spring 2025, including regulations on AI use.
British Technology Minister Peter Kyle revealed the law’s true authoritarian nature, stating, “If platforms fail to step up, the regulator has my backing to use its full powers, including issuing fines and asking the courts to block access to sites.”
This heavy-handed approach is a stark warning to Americans about the dangers of unchecked government power.
The UK’s Online Safety Act is nothing more than a Trojan horse for censorship and control, wrapped in the false promise of “safety.”
Pleased to see Online Safety Bill has become law. This is a landmark moment and will go a long way to protect all children online, particularly the most vulnerable.
I will continue working with @Ofcom to ensure children are heard & protected in the Codes of Practice. https://t.co/JMEyvOeBBS
— Children's Commissioner for England (@ChildrensComm) October 26, 2023
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