UK government defends laws after X claims it threatens free speech

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. — AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File

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.