On Friday, the UK Government announced the enforcement of new regulations under the Online Safety Act 2023, which mandates age verification for users accessing certain online content. Following this, a petition emerged, garnering nearly 388,000 signatures urging its repeal. However, the government remains unyielding.

“The Government has no plans to repeal the Online Safety Act, and is working closely with Ofcom to implement the Act as quickly and effectively as possible to enable UK users to benefit from its protections.”

Ofcom is responsible for ensuring that services comply with the regulations set forth, which extend beyond adult content to encompass various online services including forums and political content.

The petition highlights concerns that the Act is excessively broad and restrictive, potentially jeopardizing hobby forums due to compliance difficulties. It appeals for the creation of more proportionate legislation.

In contrast, the UK Government contends that the Online Safety Act is appropriately proportionate and emphasizes support for smaller services navigating compliance. They assert Ofcom will approach enforcement reasonably, especially for low-risk services, focusing on instances where harm is a significant risk.

Peter Kyle, the UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, has commented that those supporting the repeal of the Online Safety Act align themselves with predators, referencing criticisms from figures such as Nigel Farage.

The Act mandates age verification through private companies, raising concerns about the safety of shared personal information, potentially including sensitive identification documents.

On the other hand, it appears possible to bypass the age verification requirements using strategies such as VPNs, which have recently gained traction in usage across various platforms.