Due to the Online Safety Act now in effect in the UK, some posts about the wars in Gaza and Ukraine on platforms X (Twitter) and Reddit are temporarily restricted for users who have not verified their age. The overly cautious implementation of the law is leading to the blocking of content that is worthy of public debate.
The law aims to protect under-18s from harmful content and self-harm promotion. However, posts such as a video of a man searching for his relatives in the rubble in Gaza or footage of a drone shot down in Ukraine have been blocked despite showing no violent scenes.
Reddit also requires age verification to access pages related to the Ukraine conflict, Gaza war, and medical topics. Even parliamentary speeches about child abuse have been restricted.
Experts warn that incorrect application of the law could undermine freedom of speech. X owner Elon Musk criticized the law, calling it a “tool for suppressing the people.”
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