LONDON: The British government defended the Online Safety Act after US tech billionaire Elon Musk’s X said the legislation was threatening free speech.
In a post titled What Happens When Oversight Becomes Overreach, the platform, formerly known as Twitter, outlined criticism of the act and the "heavy-handed” UK regulators.
The government countered that it is "demonstrably false” that the Online Safety Act compromises free speech and said it is not designed to censor political debate.
Under rules that came into effect on July 25, online platforms must take steps to prevent children accessing harmful content such as pornography or material that encourages suicide.
This includes a new duty for online providers to reduce the risk that users encounter illegal content as well as age verification measures in the UK to access pornographic content.
"As a result, 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,” X said.
It accused regulators of taking a "heavy-handed approach” and said that "many are now concerned that a plan ostensibly intended to keep children safe is at risk of seriously infringing on the public’s right to free expression”.
Watchdog Ofcom said this week it had launched investigations into 34 pornography sites for new age-check requirements.
The company said "a balanced approach is the only way to protect individual liberties, encourage innovation and safeguard children”.
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. Failure to meet either obligation can lead to severe penalties, including fines of up to 10% of global revenue or £18 million, whichever is greater.
"The Act is not designed to censor political debate and 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.
"Platforms have had several months to prepare for this law. It is a disservice to their users to hide behind deadlines as an excuse for failing to properly implement it.”
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle became embroiled in a row with Nigel Farage earlier this week over Reform UK’s pledge that it would scrap the Act if the party came into power.
He said the Reform UK leader of being on the side of "extreme pornographers”. – PA Media/dpa
