Online Safety Act and internet regulation
The Free Speech Union has covered 54 stories on this topic. Browse our coverage below.
26 June 2026
Keir Starmer has resigned as Prime Minister – farewell to our chief recruiting sergeant
As the Prime Minister resigns, the Free Speech Union braces itself for what free speech battles we face under Andy Burnham.
1 June 2026
UK citizens flock to Trump's free speech portal
British citizens are flocking to freedom.gov, a "censorship circumvention project" set up by the Trump administration's State Department, to bypass the restrictive online safety laws imposed by the UK's Online Safety Act and the EU's Digital Services Act. Sarah Rogers, US Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, says Brits are visiting the site more than any other nationality — because they are living under a government "hostile to freedom of speech".
15 May 2026
Free Speech is a ‘Postcode Lottery’ in Britain
Big Brother Watch has exposed sharp disparities in arrest rates across constabularies, with some forces making eight times more arrests than their neighbours and detaining people at around twice the national average. Cumbria Police is 30 times more likely to arrest people for speech-related offences to others.
7 April 2026
Ofcom dishes out £50,000 donation to The Guardian's charity
Ofcom is under fire after filings revealed it donated £50,000 to The Guardian Foundation — raising questions about the regulator’s impartiality at a time when it is enforcing the Online Safety Act against other media outlets.
2 March 2026
US launches free speech portal to help UK and EU citizens bypass online censorship
The Trump administration has launched freedom.gov, a VPN-style portal letting UK and EU citizens bypass online censorship laws — a stark signal of US alarm over European free speech restrictions.
28 February 2026
Elon Musk launches landmark legal challenge against EU over Digital Services Act fine
Elon Musk is taking the EU to court over a €120m Digital Services Act fine against X — in what could be a defining battle for free speech and regulatory power in Europe.
1 February 2026
Peers warn Technology Secretary that delays to free speech protections threaten free speech online
More than 50 peers — including three former Cabinet Ministers — have written to the Digital Secretary warning that delays to free speech protections threaten online expression.
1 February 2026
US Under Secretary of State warns UK government has "authoritarian intentions" and says Congress will legislate against Ofcom
The US Under Secretary of State has accused the UK government of "telegraphed authoritarian intentions" and warned of congressional responses to Ofcom.
3 August 2025
Britain’s expanding censorship machine
30 July 2025
Criticising the Online Safety Act puts you “on the side of Jimmy Savile” says Labour minister
29 July 2025
Britain is entering a new phase in the policing of digital dissent
26 July 2025
Protest footage blocked as online safety act comes into force
5 June 2025
US threatens UK officials over free speech
2 May 2025
EU leaders advocate stronger censorship regulation to counter “disinformation” threats
10 April 2025
BitChute discontinues video-sharing service for UK residents over online censorship laws
8 April 2025
New UK Internet Policing Law Targets US Online Forums
6 April 2025
Starmer backs down on free speech law that could harm Trump trade talks
20 March 2025
Hamster forum and local residents’ websites shut down by new internet laws
14 March 2025
Yvette Cooper accused of undermining UK-US special relationship in Apple spying row
4 March 2025
The US vs Europe (continued)
25 February 2025
Labour will use AI to snoop on “concerning” social media
25 February 2025
UK’s online regulator urges social media to censor lawful but ‘misogynistic’ speech
22 February 2025
Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row
16 February 2025
Hundreds charged with online ‘speech crimes’ under Online Safety Act amid US free expression concerns
10 February 2025
UK Labour government willing to rework Online Safety Act to avoid Trump tariffs
24 November 2024
“No pathway”: Government drops controversial misinformation bill amid Senate opposition
12 November 2024
Constitutional law expert calls out Australian government’s “really problematic” misinformation bill
30 October 2024
Labour cabinet minister refuses to rule out targeting ‘legal but harmful’ speech via strengthened Online Safety Act
28 October 2024
‘Woke’ chatbots discriminate against free speech, according to new study
10 October 2024
Australia’s Misinformation Bill “dead in the water” but similarly dystopian proposals popping up elsewhere
8 October 2024
GB News facing “significant fine” after losing High Court battle against Ofcom
1 October 2024
First Amendment is “major block” to “hammering disinformation out of existence”, US climate envoy tells World Economic Forum
27 September 2024
UK government’s secretive Covid-era ‘spy’ agency advised US administration on censoring ‘disinformation’
29 August 2024
Ofcom “needs emergency powers” to tackle misinformation, claims well-connected left-wing lobby group
28 August 2024
How Zuckerberg censored Covid on Facebook
22 August 2024
Did Sir Kier Starmer just breach the Online Safety Act?
22 August 2024
Sir Keir Starmer’s government is undermining free speech
10 August 2024
Sir Keir Starmer to review social media laws in wake of riots
8 August 2024
A ban on online anonymity is a threat to freedom of expression
8 August 2024
London Mayor declares draconian Online Safety Act “not fit for purpose” following major public disorder
7 August 2024
Secretive Covid-era ‘spy’ agency repurposed to monitor social media during riots
4 July 2024
Sick of woke censorship? You ain’t seen nothing yet
12 June 2024
Former GB News presenter says Ofcom killed his career over Covid vaccine claims
10 June 2024
Meta to focus on censoring “misinformation” and “hate speech” ahead of UK election
10 June 2024
Politico laments that WhatsApp isn’t specifically targeting election speech for censorship
5 June 2024
Elon Musk says “free speech prevailed” after Australia drops bid to impose global ban on ‘harmful’ online material
22 May 2024
Ofcom’s contempt for GB News viewers
21 May 2024
GB News accuses Ofcom of “sinister” attack on democracy over threat of fine for alleged breach of impartiality rules
15 May 2024
Elon Musk wins temporary reprieve for free speech in Australia following court battle
11 May 2024
Government says “no plans” to restart funding for UK-based disinformation index blacklisting conservative and gender critical views
23 April 2024
UK-government funded ‘disinformation tracker’ labels gender critical beliefs as “anti-trans”
29 March 2024
European Commission publishes ‘disinformation’ guidelines for Big Tech
21 March 2024
Now the EU wants to regulate online influencers
27 February 2024
UK minister defends government’s rebranded Counter Disinformation Unit
