Reform UK has pledged to repeal the Online Safety Act as a “dystopian” infringement of free speech, claiming the legislation designed to protect children online instead creates a “Chinese-style surveillance state” that suppresses legitimate political discourse.
The announcement came as new age verification requirements took effect on Friday, requiring users to upload photo ID or undergo facial recognition scans before accessing adult content, triggering a massive surge in VPN usage as internet users seek to circumvent the restrictions.
“Orwellian” Legislation Denounced
Former Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf launched a scathing attack on the legislation during a press conference at the party’s Westminster headquarters, describing it as fundamentally flawed and counter-productive.
We will repeal this Act as one of the first things a Reform government does,” Yusuf declared, arguing that the legislation did “absolutely nothing to protect children” but worked to “suppress freedom of speech” and “force social media companies to censor anti-government speech.
Speaking to GB News, Yusuf warned that Britain was being “plunged into a Chinese-style surveillance state,” describing the Act as “Orwellianly named” and claiming it would create incentives for platforms to “over censor” legitimate content.
Age Verification Triggers Public Backlash
The criticism comes as key provisions of the Online Safety Act came into force on 25th July, requiring platforms to implement “highly effective age assurance” to prevent children accessing pornography and content promoting self-harm, suicide, or eating disorders.
Under the new rules, users must verify their age through methods including credit card verification, photo ID scanning, facial recognition software, or mobile network operator checks before accessing restricted content. Platforms failing to comply face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of their global turnover, whichever is greater.
The implementation has sparked significant public opposition, with a parliamentary petition calling for the Act’s repeal attracting over 300,000 signatures within days. The petition argues that the legislation’s scope is “far broader and restrictive than is necessary in a free society.”
VPN Usage Surges as Users Circumvent Controls
The introduction of age verification requirements has coincided with a dramatic increase in VPN usage, with providers reporting surge rates of up to 1,400% as users seek to bypass the new restrictions.
Yusuf pointed to this development as evidence of the legislation’s failure, arguing that increased VPN adoption showed the Act “did not protect children and in fact made them less safe” by pushing them towards “more dangerous parts of the internet.
Major platforms including Discord, Reddit, Bluesky, and gaming sites like Steam have implemented age verification checks, whilst adult content site PornHub has restricted its entire UK service behind age verification barriers.
Government Defends Child Protection Measures
The government has defended the legislation as essential for protecting children online, with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology emphasising that platforms now have “a legal duty to protect children online.
A government spokesperson rejected Reform’s criticism, stating: “Reform offers anger but no answers. They won’t say what they would do instead to keep people safe. Farage would give children access to material on suicide, self-harm, eating disorders and pornography. He is simply not serious.”
The Online Safety Act represents one of the most comprehensive attempts by any government to regulate online content, requiring platforms to assess risks to users and implement safety measures across illegal content, child protection, and broader harms.
Free Speech Concerns Mount
Critics argue the legislation goes far beyond child protection, creating a framework for broader censorship of legal but controversial content. The Act grants significant powers to media regulator Ofcom to impose content moderation requirements on platforms.
Yusuf claimed the legislation was already having a chilling effect on political discourse: “We’ve already seen in less than 48 hours since this thing has come into force, we’ve seen protests against migrant hotels in Leeds being actively censored on X, which thanks to Elon, is supposed to be the last bastion of free speech.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has warned that the Act could create a “blueprint for repression,” encouraging platforms to adopt an “if in doubt, cut it out” approach to content moderation.
Industry Implementation Challenges
The legislation’s rollout has faced significant implementation challenges, with many smaller websites and forums struggling to comply with the complex requirements. Some have opted to shut down rather than attempt to meet the new obligations.
Wikipedia’s parent organisation, the Wikimedia Foundation, has launched a legal challenge against the legislation, describing it as “flawed” and arguing that age verification requirements would undermine the site’s commitment to collecting minimal user data.
Gaming platforms and content sites have been forced to implement age checks for accessing adult-rated games and modifications, whilst dating apps including Tinder, Bumble, and Grindr have introduced verification processes.
Broader Political Implications
The controversy highlights broader tensions over online regulation and free speech in the digital age. The legislation, originally introduced by the previous Conservative government, has faced criticism from across the political spectrum.
Reform’s opposition represents the most explicit political challenge to the Act, with the party framing repeal as a core policy objective. Yusuf described the current approach as making “Xi Jinping blush” and warned of Britain sliding towards authoritarianism.
The party’s stance reflects growing concerns about the scope of online regulation, particularly regarding content that is legal but deemed potentially harmful. Critics argue this creates subjective judgements about acceptable speech that could be politically motivated.
International Trade Implications
The Online Safety Act has also emerged as a potential obstacle to UK-US trade relations, with American officials reportedly viewing the legislation as a “roadblock” to a comprehensive trade deal with the Trump administration.
Elon Musk, a close adviser to President Trump and outspoken critic of the Act, has repeatedly warned of rising censorship in the UK and described Ofcom’s regulatory role as a threat to free expression.
Sources suggest the Labour government may be willing to renegotiate elements of the legislation to address US free speech concerns and facilitate trade negotiations, though no official announcements have been made.
Technical and Privacy Challenges
The implementation of age verification has raised significant privacy concerns, with critics arguing that requiring personal identification for accessing legal content creates unprecedented surveillance capabilities.
Privacy advocates warn that age verification systems create honeypots of sensitive personal data that could be vulnerable to breaches or misuse by governments or bad actors.
The legislation also requires platforms to scan content for child sexual abuse material, despite warnings from encryption experts that effective scanning is incompatible with end-to-end encryption and user privacy.
Looking Ahead
As the Online Safety Act continues its phased implementation through 2025 and 2026, the political and practical challenges appear to be mounting. The legislation faces legal challenges, technical implementation difficulties, and growing political opposition.
Reform UK’s commitment to repeal represents the most direct political challenge to the framework, potentially making online regulation a key battleground in future elections. The party’s framing of the issue as fundamental to free speech and democracy may resonate with voters concerned about government overreach.
The government maintains that the legislation is essential for protecting children and vulnerable users online, arguing that platforms have operated with insufficient oversight for too long. However, the significant public backlash and practical implementation challenges suggest the debate over online regulation is far from settled.
With over 300,000 people signing petitions for repeal and VPN usage surging as users seek to circumvent the new restrictions, the Online Safety Act faces an uncertain future as it attempts to balance child protection with fundamental rights to privacy and free expression.
The controversy exemplifies the broader challenges facing democratic governments as they attempt to regulate digital platforms whilst preserving the openness and freedom that has characterised the internet age.
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Image Credit:
Zia Yusuf addresses Reform UK, 30th June 2024, Birmingham NEC – Photo by Reform UK, licensed under CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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