The UK’s Online Safety Act is throwing the gauntlet at anyone who values free expression
By George Barron, with special assistant Grok from xAI.
InfoArmed.com
March 31, 2025
The United Kingdom has implemented the Online Safety Act (OSA), a law that is causing a significant impact on the free world. Enacted in 2023 and now in force in 2025, this legislation aims to stifle free speech under the pretext of “safety.” With the government and its censorship arm, Ofcom, wielding fines, jail threats, and outright bans, the OSA is a tyrannical power grab aimed at companies and individuals alike. For InfoArmed.com readers who see free expression as sacred, this is a red alert: the UK’s setting a precedent that could gag us all.
Censorship Demands: Kneel or Be Destroyed
The Online Safety Act turns online platforms into the state’s personal hall monitors. On March 17, 2025, the enforcement of the OSA commenced, requiring social media sites, messaging apps, and even niche forums to swiftly remove “illegal” content. We’re talking over 130 “priority offenses”—everything from terrorism (fine, sure) to slippery terms like “incitement to violence” or “hate speech.” Who decides what’s hateful? Ofcom, a faceless regulator with zero accountability to the public. Post a fiery rant about government overreach on X? If it’s deemed “stirring up hatred,” it’s gone—and you might be next.
Look at the fallout from the 2024 England riots, sparked by false online claims about a knife attack. The government blamed social media, and now they’re pushing to expand the OSA to target “legal but harmful” content—like misinformation—directly. Platforms could soon be forced to preemptively zap anything remotely controversial, even if it’s true or just opinion. X users are already buzzing about Ofcom’s letters demanding risk assessments and moderation plans from platforms worldwide. Should you refuse to comply? Say goodbye to your UK audience.
Individuals aren’t spared either. Last year, Brits were dragged into court over social media posts—three months in the slammer for a Facebook tirade about immigration, two years for an X post labeled “racially inflammatory.” The OSA supercharges this crackdown, letting Ofcom order platforms to preserve “evidence” of your digital thought crimes. Your next edgy meme could land you in a dossier—or a cell.
Fines That Crush and Jail for the Defiant
The financial penalties are obscene. Platforms that don’t comply face fines of £18 million or 10% of their global revenue—whichever stings more. For Big Tech, these fines can amount to billions, but for smaller companies such as Rumble or independent blogs, they can be catastrophic. Ofcom can also block non-compliant sites in the UK, turning the internet into a government-approved sandbox. Picture this: a scrappy free speech platform gets a menacing Ofcom notice—censor or pay up. Most won’t survive the fight.
It gets worse. Senior execs at these companies can be personally fined or jailed for up to two years if they don’t hand over data or fail to police content to Ofcom’s liking—especially on child safety issues. So, if you’re a startup founder with a lean team, you’re not just risking your business; you’re risking your liberty.
The message is clear: obey or be ruined.
The Slippery Slope to Total Silence
How far will they take this? As far as they can. The OSA’s global reach means any platform with “significant” UK users—whether based in London or Louisiana—has to comply. Ofcom is already targeting Elon Musk’s X, exerting its influence to enforce compliance. Posts on X hint at a looming showdown, with Musk’s free speech ethos clashing hard against Starmer’s control freak tendencies. After the 2024 riots, Labour’s itching to broaden the law—London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s openly griped that it doesn’t go far enough to squash “misinformation.” Next step? Reviving the ditched “legal but harmful” clause, where hurt feelings become a felony.
Next, let’s discuss the explosive issue of encryption. The OSA lets Ofcom demand platforms scan private messages—like on Signal or WhatsApp—for “harmful” content, starting with child abuse material. The catch? No one’s figured out how to do that without torching end-to-end encryption. The government swears it won’t push until the tech’s ready, but privacy experts call BS—this is a Trojan horse for surveillance. Once they successfully crack private chats for “safety,” policing dissent becomes a simple task.
The Endgame: A Muzzled Internet
For free speech diehards, the OSA’s endgame is chilling. Platforms will over-censor to dodge fines, users will self-censor to dodge jail, and the UK will morph into a digital fiefdom where only state-sanctioned voices survive. Smaller sites will collapse under compliance costs, leaving corporate lapdogs like Meta to dominate. The UK’s already jailing its own for tweets—don’t be shocked if they start eyeing foreigners next. J.D. Vance has slammed the OSA as a speech-killer, and with Trump back in power, the US might hit back if the UK keeps bullying American tech.
Starmer’s crew won’t stop here. They’ll wield the OSA to kneecap political rivals, bury whistleblowers, and smother anything that threatens their grip. The internet’s messy, chaotic beauty—where truth fights its way out—will be replaced by a sterile echo chamber. And if this spreads? Kiss global free speech goodbye.
Time to Push Back
The Online Safety Act isn’t about safety—it’s about domination. It’s a gauntlet thrown at anyone who cherishes unfiltered expression. This is a call to action for readers of InfoArmed.com: uncover, mock, and oppose it. The UK’s testing how much we’ll take—let’s show them free speech doesn’t bend.
