The UK government has watered down powers in its legislation regulating online spaces but some free speech advocates still fear the bill is a “censor’s charter.”
On Tuesday, the government announced that “legal but harmful” duties are being replaced in the Online Safety Bill, with culture secretary Michelle Donelan saying they would have “stifled” free speech.
Donelan said that “legal but harmful” duties the legislation would have created a “quasi-legal category.”
However, because the strongest protections in the bill are for children, the government is “in essence” introducing “legal but harmful” provisions for children .
An amendment will force social media platforms to publish their risk assessments on the dangers their sites pose to children….