UK’s New Online Safety Act: A Tech Giant’s Nightmare or Savior?
Tech platforms in the UK must now play the ultimate game of “Whac-a-Mole” with illegal online content, thanks to the Online Safety Act. Starting March 2025, companies face hefty fines if they fail to zap content like terror, hate, and fraud. Ofcom’s hammer is ready, and it’s not playing around!
Hot Take:
The Online Safety Act: where the UK government rides in like a digital lawman, waving the badge of justice, ready to wrangle the Wild West of the internet. But hold your horses, pardner, because this showdown could end up with more tumbleweeds than triumphs if the tech platforms don’t toe the line. Let’s hope this isn’t a case of “Wanted: Dead or Over-Removed Content.”
Key Points:
- Tech platforms must remove illegal content as per the UK’s Online Safety Act by March 2025.
- Penalties for non-compliance can reach £18m or 10% of global revenue.
- Ofcom provided guidance on risk assessments that tech companies must follow.
- Smaller platforms might struggle with the costs of compliance.
- The Act’s success hinges on pragmatic guidance and enforcement.
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