Petition to repeal Online Safety Act reaches 340K signatures
The changes from the act apply across the UK and include age checks on pornography websites, as well as other platforms like Reddit, X and Bluesky.
The Act was passed into law on October 26, 2023, and was implemented on July 25, 2025, with platforms now requiring users to prove their age by ID verification.
Well done to everyone who campaigned to ensure age verification for pornography was in the Online Safety Act!
Today it comes into force and while no doubt there will be some who get around it, it means young kids in particular won't be stumbling on violent and harmful porn. pic.twitter.com/LGtISAmReC — Jess Asato MP (@Jess4Lowestoft) July 25, 2025
The measures, as part of the Online Safety Act and set to be enforced by regulator Ofcom, require online platforms to have age checks – using facial age estimation or credit card checks.
Since the act was implemented, a petition has been launched and has surpassed more than 340,000 signatures.
Calls for the Online Safety Act to be repealed in viral petition
Sharing why the petition was made, the creator behind it Alex Baynham, wrote: "We believe that the scope of the Online Safety act is far broader and restrictive than is necessary in a free society.
"For instance, the definitions in Part 2 covers online hobby forums, which we think do not have the resource to comply with the act and so are shutting down instead.
"We think that Parliament should repeal the act and work towards producing proportionate legislation rather than risking clamping down on civil society talking about trains, football, video games or even hamsters because it can't deal with individual bad faith actors."
At the time of writing, the petition had surpassed the needed 100,000 signatures for Parliament to consider debating the petition.
On TikTok, the Act has received a large amount of debate.
Recommended Reading
Content creator Thomas Pearson branded the act "pointless", sharing that he believes the act "is a fundamental betrayal of one of the core principles of British democracy; governing and policing by consent."
Previously discussing the Act, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle told Sky News: "I have very high expectations of the change that children will experience.
"And let me just say this to parents and children, you will experience a different internet really, for the first time in from today, moving forward than you've had in the past. And that is a big step forward."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
STV News
10 minutes ago
- STV News
Starmer to convene urgent Cabinet meeting on Gaza to set out pathway to peace
Sir Keir Starmer will convene an urgent Cabinet meeting on Tuesday as he seeks to set out a pathway to peace in Gaza. The Prime Minister will call senior ministers in during the summer recess for the meeting on Gaza on Tuesday afternoon, the PA news agency understands. Starmer shared plans he is working on with France and Germany to 'bring about a lasting peace' with US President Donald Trump when they met in Scotland, Downing Street said. And he plans to share details with Arab states and other key allies in the coming days. Starmer is facing mounting calls to recognise Palestinian statehood immediately. PA Media Humanitarian aid is airdropped to Palestinians over the central Gaza Strip as seen from Khan Younis (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP). The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'This week, the Prime Minister is focused on a pathway to peace to ensure immediate relief for those on the ground, and a sustainable route to a two-state solution. 'We are clear that the recognition of the Palestinian state is a matter of when, not if, but it must be one of the steps on the path to a two-state solution as part of a wider plan that delivers lasting security for both Palestinians and Israelis.' Amid international alarm over starvation in Gaza, Israel announced at the weekend that it would suspend fighting in three areas for 10 hours a day and open secure routes for aid delivery. The UK confirmed it was taking part in airdrops of aid into the territory. Aid agencies have welcomed the new measures but said they were not enough to counter the rising hunger in the Palestinian territory. Starmer said that the British public is 'revolted' at the scenes of desperation in Gaza as he appeared alongside Trump at his Turnberry golf course on Monday. 'It's a humanitarian crisis, it's an absolute catastrophe. 'Nobody wants to see that. I think people in Britain are revolted at seeing what they're seeing on their screens, so we've got to get to that ceasefire.' The US president hinted at sticking points in US-led negotiations over a peace deal, saying Palestinian militant group Hamas had become 'very difficult to deal with' in recent weeks. He suggested this was because they only held a small remaining number of Israeli hostages. Starmer has likened the plan he is working on with France and Germany to the coalition of the willing, the international effort to support Ukraine towards a lasting peace. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said the plan would build 'on the collaboration to date that paves the way to a long-term solution on security in the region'. Starmer is meanwhile facing calls from a growing number of MPs to recognise a Palestinian state immediately. More than 250 cross-party MPs have now signed a letter calling for ministers to take the step, up from 221 on Friday. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds on Monday dismissed the idea that there is a split at the top of Government over when to recognise a Palestinian state, saying 'we all want it to happen'. Health Secretary Wes Streeting is among those to have signalled a desire for hastened action, calling for recognition 'while there's still a state of Palestine left to recognise', while Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the Government wants to recognise a Palestinian state 'in contribution to a peace process'. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Mail
10 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Nigel Farage is taking the side of Jimmy Savile and other child abusers by criticising Online Safety Act says cabinet minister in free speech row
A senior Cabinet minister accused Nigel Farage of being on the side of sick paedophiles like Jimmy Savile today amid a deepening row over online free speech. Peter Kyle also accused the Reform UK leader Nigel Farage of being on the side of 'extreme pornographers' over the party's pledge to scrap the Online Safety Act. The Technology Secretary made the astonishing outburst as he defended the law, which came into effect last Friday and requires social media sites and search engines to take steps to prevent children accessing harmful content like pornography. Critics including Mr Farage claim that it is being used to stifle free speech by blocking people from seeing some political statements online, especially those by right-wing figures. But Mr Kyle told Sky News he had seen no evidence that the Online Safety Act 'goes too far'. He added: 'I see that Nigel Farage is already saying that he's going to overturn these laws. So you know, we have people out there who are extreme pornographers, peddling hate, peddling violence. Nigel Farage is on their side. 'Make no mistake about it, if people like Jimmy Savile were alive today, he'd be perpetrating his crimes online. And Nigel Farage is saying that he's on their side.' Mr Farage immediately labelled the comments 'disgusting' and demanded an apology. Former BBC television presenter and DJ Savile, who died aged 84 in 2011, is believed to have been one of Britain's most prolific paedophiles, whose crimes went undiscovered or unchallenged for decades. Asked to clarify his comments, Mr Kyle said: 'Nigel Farage is on the side of turning the clock back to the time when strange adults, strangers can get in touch via messaging apps with children.' Reform UK would scrap the Online Safety Act as a 'dystopian' infringement of free speech, the party announced yesterday. During the press conference, Mr Farage acknowledged that his party did not have 'a perfect answer' for what could replace the Act, but said his party had 'more access to some of the best tech brains, not just in the country but in the world' and would 'make a much better job of it'. Former party chairman Zia Yusuf said the Act, intended to reduce online harm, did 'absolutely nothing to protect children' but worked to 'suppress freedom of speech' and 'force social media companies to censor anti-government speech'. Addressing a press conference at Reform's headquarters in Westminster, Mr Yusuf said: 'We will repeal this Act as one of the first things a Reform government does.' The intervention came after it emerged that X blocked a powerful speech on grooming gangs by Tory minister Katie Lam in Parliament this year. Meanwhile, footage of arrests during asylum seeker hotel protests was also blocked 'due to local laws', according to the social media platform. After a demonstration outside the Britannia Hotel in Leeds at the weekend, X users said the site blocked arrest footage. They were shown the message: 'Due to local laws, we are temporarily restricting access to this content until X estimates your age.' Last week, the law changed to require websites to check users are over 18 before allowing them to access 'harmful' material such as pornography or suicide material. Failing to comply with the new rules could incur fines of up to £18million or 10 per cent of a firm's global turnover. Asked about concerns the law has seen posts wrongly removed from social media, the Technology Secretary told Sky News: 'I have not seen any evidence that the Bill goes too far at all.' He added: 'I will be monitoring the impact, but I have not so far seen anything that gives me concern for anyone about free speech grounds. 'We have very strident protections for free speech in this country.
The Sun
10 minutes ago
- The Sun
Nigel Farage demands apology after Labour minister claims Reform leader is ‘on the side' of paedos like Jimmy Saville
NIGEL Farage today demanded an apology after a Labour minister sensationally claimed he is "on the side" of paedos like Jimmy Savile. Tech Secretary Peter Kyle sparked a blazing row by alleging the Reform Party leader's vow to repeal online safety laws amounts to backing predators gaining access to children. 2 2 Mr Kyle declared: 'If Jimmy Savile were alive today, he'd be perpetrating his crimes online. "And Nigel Farage is saying he's on their side.' Furious at the inflammatory accusation, Mr Farage hit back, branding the comments "disgusting" and demanding a retraction. He fumed: "Peter Kyle's comments on Sky News are disgusting. "He should do the right thing and apologise." However, the Tech Secretary refused to back down, stating: "If you want to overturn the Online Safety Act you are on the side of predators. "It is as simple as that." On Monday, Mr Farage pledged to scrap the Online Safety Act should Reform win the next election, arguing it risks erasing free speech "at the stroke of a pen". The Reform boss further claimed the legislation would drive children onto the dark web, insisting youngsters would use VPNs and end up accessing more dangerous corners of the internet than ever before. He said: 'The road to hell can be paved with good intentions." Friday saw the Online Safety Act come into full effect, with over 6,000 websites – including major social media platforms and porn sites – enforcing stringent age checks. The sweeping crackdown compels tech firms to verify users are 18 or older before granting access to adult content or distressing material linked to suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. Under the rigorous new measures, users may be required to scan their faces, provide official identification, or even share contact lists and email details. Mr Kyle today defended the Act, stating he has "not seen any evidence that the Bill goes too far at all". The Tech Secretary added: "I will be monitoring the impact, but I have not so far seen anything that gives me concern for anyone about free speech grounds. "We have very strident protections for free speech in this country. "This is not about free speech. This is about hateful, violent, extreme, misogynistic and pornographic material finding its way into children's feeds."
