The UK's new Online Safety Act requires social media companies to prevent harmful content, including pornography and posts promoting self-harm. Compliance may lead to blocking legitimate public interest content, including important debates. Content like a video of a man searching for his family in Gaza was restricted despite no graphic content. Penalties for non-compliance include fines or blocking services in the UK. Experts caution about the consequences of overapplying the law, although some believe platforms might improve in balancing safety with public discourse as the law evolves.
The new legislation imposes fines on social media companies and other websites which fail to protect under-18s from pornography, posts promoting self-harm, and other harmful content.
Experts warn companies are risking stifling legitimate public debate by overapplying the law.
Sandra Wachter expressed alarm at the restrictions, stating the new bill was 'not supposed to be used to suppress facts of public interest, even if uncomfortable'.
Among the restricted content identified by BBC Verify was a video post on X showing a man in Gaza looking for the dead bodies of his family buried among rubble.
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