Elon Musk‘s X has warned that the Online Safety Act, which requires users to prove their age, is ‘putting free speech at risk’.
The new rules, seen by watchdogs as a way to protect children online, have sparked a furious backlash from thousands of users.
The act forces platforms like Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and X, along with sites hosting pornography, to implement strict age verification measures to prove users are over 18.
But critics are outraged, arguing that age checks are blocking access to large parts of the internet that have no business being grouped with adult content.
To use platforms like X, users must surrender personal details such as credit card information, ID, or even facial scans, leading many to bypass the system altogether.
X has now joined the chorus of criticism, warning that unless the act is amended to be more ‘balanced’, ‘free speech will suffer’.
The uproar has already seen nearly half a million people signing a petition demanding the act be scrapped as the number of users searches for VPN surged since the changes came into force.
But a government spokesperson has dismissed these concerns, calling the claim that the law compromises free speech as ‘demonstrably false’, insisting that it is ‘not designed to censor political debate’.
X, owned by tycoon Elon Musk, pictured, has now joined the chorus of criticism, warning that unless the act is amended to be more ‘balanced,’ ‘free speech will suffer’
The new rules are seen by watchdogs as a way to protect children online. Pictured: Stock image
Critics argue that age checks are blocking access to large parts of the internet that have no business being grouped with adult content
The dispute reached a fever pitch earlier this week when a senior Labour minister accused Reform’s Nigel Farage of aligning with ‘sick paedophiles’ like Jimmy Savile during the ongoing clash over the law.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle went even further, accusing Farage of siding with ‘extreme pornographers’ over Reform UK’s vow to scrap the act.
Now X has joined the list of critics, saying in statement: ‘When lawmakers approved these measures, they made a conscientious decision to increase censorship in the name of ‘online safety.’
‘It is fair to ask if UK citizens were equally aware of the trade-off being made.’
The platform claims the timeframe in which they were given to meet mandatory measures had been unnecessarily tight – and despite complying, sites still faced threats of enforcement and fines, ‘encouraging over-censorship’.
Adding: ‘A balanced approach is the only way to protect individual liberties, encourage innovation and safeguard children.
‘It’s safe to say that significant changes must take place to achieve these objectives in the UK.’
Peter Kyle also accused the Reform UK leader Nigel Farage of being on the side of ‘extreme pornographers’ over the party’s pledge to scrap the Online Safety Act
Critics including Mr Farage claim that the law is being used to stifle free speech by blocking people from seeing some controversial political statements online
Former BBC television presenter and DJ Jimmy Savile, who died aged 84 in 2011, is believed to have been one of Britain’s most prolific paedophiles, whose crimes went undiscovered or unchallenged for decades.
Nearly half a million people have signed a petition against the Online Safety Act
Spotify users have hit out after it emerged the app will now require age verification, with some calling for others to stop using the platform and to ‘let them go bankrupt’ (stock image)
Ofcom said this week it had launched investigations into 34 pornography sites for new age-check requirements.
It comes as Spotify users were left furious after they were told their accounts were at risk of being deleted if they fail to verify their age when trying to access videos marked 18+, with some urging users to stop using it.
One user questioned: ‘How old do you have to be to listen to music?’, while another declared: ‘I think I’m deleting payments to any company that ever sends me something like this.’
Previously, campaign group, Big Brother Watch, also warned of the ‘catastrophic effect on free speech online’ that the Ofcom legislation could have with ‘intrusive new age checks to access a range of websites’.
Xbox have also followed suit, announcing they too will be investing in technologies and tools to ensure players have age-appropriate experiences on their platform, while sending notifications to UK users to verify their age.
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.’
