Guerra in Gaza, conflict in Ukraine, but also parliamentary debate. The new British law on online content regulation causes uncontrollable censorship.
In force since July 25, the online security law aims to protect British Internet users under 18 years of age imposing an age verification before accessing confidential content. This text is directed to the pornographic content, but also to those who contain violence or self-mutilation, as well as those that foster eating disorders or suicide.
But as the BBC pointed out, the censored content goes beyond what the text provided. The subjects of general interest, especially in international conflicts, are inaccessible for minors, or for any person who has not verified their age on the British website.
“We temporarily restrict this content”
In X, several users of the United Kingdom face censorship. Certain publications related to the war in Gaza are blocked. On the other hand, Internet users can see: “Due to local laws, we temporarily restrict access to this content until x verifies their age.”
Therefore, not authenticated, British Internet users only have access to a diluted version of the social network. It is the same in Reddit, some war forums on war in Ukraine are prohibited from not regulated users being important, although most of the content is harmless.
Is it an excessive application of the online security law? In any case, the law “should not be used to eliminate public interest acts,” he says with the BBC Sandra Wachter, professor at the Oxford Internet Institute. The British government confirms the investigator’s words in a press release dating from August 1, 2025.
“The law does not intend to censor the political debate and does not impose that the platforms restrict access to content that is not those that present the most serious risks for children, such as pornography or content related to suicide and the same tired,” said the British governmental site in its press release.
There is all the dilemma of companies behind these platforms: censor excessively to respect the law or remain guarantor of freedom of expression. The British government requires that platforms find an average level.
The age verification extends to Europe
If France is a small delay in the United Kingdom, the country intends to look for content that is not adapted to minors. Pornographic sites and social networks are gradually forced to establish age verification systems, set at least 18 years and at least 15 years.
The enthusiasm for authentication also tends to extend to the entire European Union. Soon an age verification application will be launched in five countries between the twenty -seven.
This measure will frustrate Internet users who prefer to use social networks anonymously. Since July 29, 2025, the pornographic content in X has been inaccessible to Europeans who have not verified their age. According to X figures, in 2024, in the European Union, 37% of X users prefer to go to the platform without connecting, without verifying their age.
Source: BFM TV
