What Is the UK Online Safety Bill?
The Online Safety Bill is a major piece of UK legislation that imposes a statutory duty of care on online platforms that host user-generated content.
Originally proposed under former Prime Minister Theresa May and developed by successive governments, the Bill aims to:
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Prevent the spread of illegal online content, such as:
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Child sexual abuse material
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Terrorist propaganda
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Hate crimes
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Improve online safety for children
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Increase platform accountability through regulation by Ofcom
Until recently, the Bill also required platforms to mitigate legal but harmful content for adults — a provision that has now been removed.
Who Does the Online Safety Bill Apply To?
The legislation applies to a wide range of digital services, including:
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Social media platforms
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Video-sharing services
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Search engines
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Online forums and messaging services
These services are required to implement systems that quickly identify and remove illegal content, and to take proactive steps against the most serious online harms.
The Amendment: What Changed?
Following months of delays and renewed parliamentary scrutiny, Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan confirmed a significant amendment:
Platforms will no longer be legally required to remove content that is “legal but harmful” to adults.
She stated:
“Any incentives for social media firms to over-remove people’s legal online content will be taken out of the Online Safety Bill.”
Under the amendment:
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Platforms must still remove illegal content
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Platforms must still enforce their own terms of service
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Child protection measures remain in place
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The Bill no longer defines categories of legal adult content that must be addressed
Why Was This Change Made?
The government says the original approach risked:
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Creating a grey area between legal and illegal speech
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Encouraging platforms to over-censor lawful content
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Giving future governments indirect influence over online speech
Free speech advocates, including MP David Davis, warned the Bill could have resulted in:
“The biggest accidental curtailment of free speech in modern history.”
What Replaces ‘Legal but Harmful’? The “Triple Shield”
The government has replaced the removed provisions with what it calls a “triple shield” approach:
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Strong protections for free speech
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Clear enforcement of the platform’s terms of service
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Firm action against illegal content
Platforms will now be prohibited from removing content or banning users unless the content breaches:
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UK law, or
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The platform’s own published rules
This aims to increase transparency and accountability without government-led content moderation.
Concerns Raised by Charities and Privacy Advocates
Despite broad support for child protection measures, concerns remain.
Vulnerable Adults
The Samaritans warned that vulnerability does not end at 18, stating:
“Anyone, including young adults aged 18–24, can be just as vulnerable to harm from suicide and self-harm content.”
Privacy and Encryption
Critics also argue that the Bill could:
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Enable government-approved scanning software
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Undermine end-to-end encryption
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Reduce the right to private online communication
There are fears that future regulation could be expanded or politically influenced, potentially restricting lawful speech.
What Does the Online Safety Bill Mean for Businesses?
For businesses operating online — particularly platforms and digital service providers — the amendment means:
Less Content Moderation Burden
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Reduced obligation to assess subjective “harm.”
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Clearer focus on illegal content and published rules
Greater Scrutiny Elsewhere
Businesses will still need to:
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Clearly define and enforce terms of service
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Demonstrate age-verification and child safety controls
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Increase transparency around algorithms
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Respond to enforcement action from Ofcom
Final Thoughts
The amendment to the UK Online Safety Bill represents a significant shift toward protecting free speech, while retaining strong safeguards for children.
However, the debate highlights an unresolved challenge:
How to protect vulnerable adults online without enabling censorship or undermining privacy.
For businesses, the key takeaway is clarity—along with increased regulatory oversight. Understanding your responsibilities, reviewing platform policies, and maintaining transparency will be essential as the Bill progresses into law.
Do not just read it. Act on it.
Reading is the easy part. Book a free IT review and we will tell you, in plain English, where your business stands and what to fix first.
