The Online Safety Act, enacted in October 2023 to protect children from harmful content online, has faced growing criticism from one of its key architects, who now calls for its full repeal. The former Culture Secretary, involved throughout the legislation’s development from its inception in 2019 to its passage, argued that the law has strayed far from its original intent and has become a tool that threatens free speech.

Initially designed to shield minors from content involving suicide, violence, and pornography, the Act empowered regulators to impose significant fines—up to 10 percent of a company’s global turnover—on online publishers that failed to comply. The former minister cited personal encounters with parents who lost children to suicide linked to harmful material circulated on social media platforms, underscoring the law’s early emphasis on protecting vulnerable youth.

However, the legislative process saw the bill expand well beyond these aims. As MPs sought to attach a wide array of amendments, the Act grew to encompass provisions addressing adult speech, hate speech, surveillance, and data regulation. The former Culture Secretary described the bill as a “Christmas Tree,” with numerous unrelated measures affixed under pressure from MPs threatening to withhold support. This expansion, critics argue, made the law overly complex and burdensome, raising concerns about excessive censorship.

The broad scope of the Act reportedly caused many smaller websites to shut down or curtail interactive features due to fears of non-compliance and potential fines. Examples include longstanding online communities such as the ‘Green Living Forum’ and the ‘Charlbury in the Cotswolds’ website, both of which closed parts of their platforms citing the Act as a major factor. Even niche forums like the ‘Hamster Forum’ temporarily suspended operations amid compliance difficulties.

Despite the intention to target harmful content, the law’s expansive enforcement has spurred controversy in recent weeks. A video posted by Zia Yusuf, home affairs spokesman for Reform UK, discussing Britain’s migration levels and policies, was removed by TikTok shortly after posting. The platform cited the Online Safety Act in its decision, initially labeling the content as “hate speech” before reinstating the video and acknowledging an error. Yusuf criticized the removal, alleging the Act and platforms like TikTok are being used by political actors to silence dissenting views.

The former Culture Secretary emphasized that while protecting children remains paramount, legislation and existing laws already address issues related to hate speech and abuse. The current Act, in their view, has shifted from safeguarding youth to broadly restricting adult freedoms online.

Reform UK has pledged to repeal the Online Safety Act if it attains government, promising to introduce new, narrowly targeted regulations that focus solely on protecting children’s welfare online while restoring free speech protections. The debate highlights ongoing challenges in balancing online safety with maintaining open and democratic discourse in the digital age.