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'Free speech will suffer': Musk's X locks horns with UK over online safety laws
A 3D-printed miniature model of Elon Musk and the X logo are seen in this illustration taken January 23, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
The social media platform X, owned by US billionaire Elon Musk, has publicly criticised the UK's newly implemented Online Safety Act, warning that its broad regulations could pose a risk to free speech.
The company issued a stark statement: 'Free speech will suffer. The Act's laudable intentions are at risk of being overshadowed by the breadth of its regulatory reach. Without a more balanced, collaborative approach, free speech will suffer.'
New provisions of Online Safety Act
The criticism follows the rollout of new provisions under the Online Safety Act, which took effect recently.
A key requirement mandates that websites, including social media and adult content platforms, verify the age of users to shield children from explicit or violent material.
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While X has taken steps to comply, such as introducing age verification systems, it expressed concerns about the law's broader implications.
The platform cautioned that the threat of hefty financial penalties could push companies to over-censor content, stating, 'Many are now concerned that a plan ostensibly intended to keep children safe is at risk of seriously infringing on the public's right to free expression.'
UK govt stands strong by legislation
The UK government has stood by the legislation, stressing that non-compliant companies could face fines of up to £18 million or 10 per cent of their global turnover—a penalty that could reach £200 million for X.
The UK's media regulator, Ofcom, has already launched investigations into dozens of websites failing to implement required safeguards and has reached out to US-based companies, including X, to remind them of their legal obligations.
X also took issue with provisions allowing police to monitor social media for content deemed anti-immigrant, arguing that this 'oversteps the intended mission' of protecting children.
The platform's concerns align with remarks from Elon Musk, who previously labelled the Online Safety Act as a 'suppression of the people.'
Musk has also thrown his support behind a public petition calling for the law's repeal, which has garnered over 450,000 signatures.
In response, Ofcom defended the regulations, clarifying that they do not mandate restricting legal content for adults. A spokesperson stated, 'They must carefully consider how they protect users' rights to freedom of expression while keeping people safe.'
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