Musk brands online safety crackdown ‘suppression of the people'
'Its purpose is suppression of the people,' Mr Musk, who has described himself as a free speech absolutist, wrote on X over the weekend.
The Tesla founder also retweeted support of a petition to repeal the Online Safety Act, which has garnered more than 330,000 signatures.
It's purpose is suppression of the people https://t.co/6rblxsGFis
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 26, 2025
X, owned by the billionaire entrepreneur, introduced age checks to stop children from watching pornography and other inappropriate content last week, shortly before the rules came into force.
However, the platform has been a vocal critic of the new regime.
Mr Musk's latest comments come after he has frequently attacked British policing of the internet, including the case of individuals who were arrested and prosecuted for posts related to last summer's riots.
Ofcom started enforcing measures in the Online Safety Act last Friday, meaning that websites are now required to check people's ages before showing them porn or other inappropriate content.
The measures are designed to protect children, but every person accessing major adult websites must also verify their age through a credit card, bank account, or by using their email or phone number.
Some social media sites have also deployed facial age recognition, in which they record a short video selfie to estimate how old users are.
The rules have led to a surge in downloads of virtual private networks (VPNs), which mask a user's internet address to appear as if they are in another country.
Four of the top six apps on the iPhone App Store in the UK were VPNs on Monday.
X introduced age checks last Thursday, saying it was doing so because it was 'required by regulations'.
Donald Trump is reportedly pressing Britain to water down the laws as part of discussions around the UK-US trade deal. Sir Keir Starmer is poised to meet the US president on Monday.
Zia Yusuf, Reform UK's former chairman, has also criticised the legislation's requirements to protect people from 'psychological harm', saying it 'plunges Britain into an authoritarian surveillance state'.
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, appeared to criticise the laws as well, posting an image of an article supporting the laws by Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, with the caption: 'The Conservatives should be in hiding. Never forget who they really are.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
17 minutes ago
- Reuters
Exclusive: Trump administration formally axes Elon Musk's 'five things' email
WASHINGTON, Aug 5 (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Tuesday formally axed a program launched by billionaire former Trump adviser Elon Musk requiring federal employees to summarize their five workplace achievements from the prior week, as first reported by Reuters. The Office of Personnel Management, the federal human resources agency that implemented Musk's push to slash the federal workforce, announced the end of the "five things" email via a memo that rescinds guidance instructing workers to comply with the initiative. "At OPM, we believe that managers are accountable to staying informed about what their team members are working on and have many other existing tools to do so," OPM Director Scott Kupor said in a statement, adding the agency told government HR representatives that OPM would no longer manage the process nor use it internally. While many federal agencies had already phased out compliance with the weekly email, the move signals the Trump administration is turning the page on one of Musk's most unpopular initiatives following a falling out between the two men in early June. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Musk, who spent over a quarter of a billion dollars to help Trump win November's presidential election, led the Department of Government Efficiency's efforts to slash the budget and cut the federal workforce until his departure in May to refocus on his tech empire. Musk initially received a warm White House sendoff from Trump, but then incurred the president's wrath by describing Trump's tax cut and spending bill as an abomination. Trump pulled the nomination of Musk ally and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA and later threatened to cancel billions of dollars worth of federal contracts with Musk's companies after the blowup between the two men. The "five things" email, launched by Musk in February to boost accountability, sparked tensions with department chiefs who were blindsided by the weekend email mandating the move. It also fueled confusion among government workers who received mixed messages about whether and how to comply. Reuters reported in March that the White House installed two Trump loyalists at OPM to ensure better policy coordination between the White House and the agency. Scott Kupor, a venture capitalist who took the helm at OPM in July, foreshadowed the end of the initiative last month, describing processing of the weekly response emails as "very manual" and "not efficient." It is "something that we should look at and see, like, are we getting the value out of it that at least the people who put it in place thought they were," he said.
Finextra
18 minutes ago
- Finextra
Sainsbury's sells travel money business to Fexco
UK supermarket group Sainsbury's is offloading its travel money business to Ireland's Fexco. Financial terms were not disclosed. 0 Fexco will take over all operations of Sainsbury's Travel Money, including digital platforms and more than 220 bureaux within the supermarket's stores. Services will continue to operate under the Sainsbury's brand with the company receiving an ongoing share of revenue and rental income. The deal increases Fexco's UK retail footprint to more than 460 locations, making it a top five player in the sector. Bláthnaid Bergin, CFO, Sainsbury's, says: With specialist expertise and a strong track record in foreign exchange, Fexco Group is a strong fit for our business. I'm also pleased to confirm that there will be no immediate changes, and customers can expect the same high level of service they know and trust.' Sainsburys has been withdrawing from financial services in the last two years, selling its retail banking operations to NatWest, offloading is mortgage book to Co-operative Bank, and handing over its ATM business to NoteMachine.
Leader Live
18 minutes ago
- Leader Live
How will the UK-France migrants return deal work as it comes into force?
The treaty was laid in Parliament on Tuesday, and will take effect from Wednesday with detentions expected in the coming days. The UK-France deal, which will also bring approved asylum seekers under a safe route to Britain, was agreed last month on the last day of French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to the UK. Here is a closer look at the plan and what the issue is. – What is the concern over the Channel crossings? Some 25,436 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel this year – a record for this point in the year since data began being collected in 2018. This is up 48% on this point last year (17,170) and 70% higher than at this stage in 2023 (14,994), according to PA news agency analysis of Home Office data. At least 10 people have died while attempting the journey this year, according to reports by French and UK authorities, but there is no official record of fatalities in the Channel. Ministers want to end the crossings because they 'threaten lives and undermine our border security'. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said smuggling gangs have been allowed to take hold along the UK's borders over the last six years, making millions out of the dangerous journeys. On Tuesday, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch claimed the failure to stop migrants crossing the Channel is putting community cohesion at risk. Data on the crossings of migrants in 'small boats' like inflatable dinghies has been collected since 2018. In the first year of data, just 299 people were recorded to have arrived in the UK this way. Since 2018, 94% of migrants who arrived by small boat crossing have claimed asylum in the UK, or 145,834 out of 154,354 people. – What has the Labour Government's approach been to the issue? Since Labour came to power last July, the party has vowed to 'smash the gangs'. Ministers are seeking to ramp up enforcement action against smugglers with new legislation to hand counter terror-style powers to police, and new criminal offences aiming to crack down on the illegal trade. This is my message to the people smuggling gangs: we will end your vile trade. For the very first time, migrants arriving via small boat will be detained and returned to France. My government has led the way in taking our countries' co-operation to a new level. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 10, 2025 The Government is also seeking to reset the UK's relationship with Europe over the crossings, and France has agreed to change its rules to allow police to intervene when boats are in shallow water, rather than requiring them to still be on land. Meanwhile ministers are hoping to deter new arrivals promised jobs when they come to the UK by cracking down on illegal working and deportations of ineligible asylum seekers. – What is the new deal and how will it work? Last month, the Prime Minister and French president agreed a plan to send back small boats migrants, with an asylum seeker being sent to the UK in exchange in equal numbers. Under the pilot scheme, adults arriving on a small boat can be detained and returned to France for the first time. The trial is set to run until June 11 2026, pending a longer-term agreement or cancellation by either the UK or France with one months' notice. Asylum seekers accepted to come to the UK under the deal would travel via a safe, legal route, 'subject to strict security checks'. Those in France could express an interest to apply for asylum to the UK through an online platform developed by the Home Office, and would then carry out the standard visa application process and checks. Priority will be given to people from countries where they are most likely to be granted asylum as genuine refugees, who are most likely to be exploited by smuggling gangs, and also asylum seekers who have connections to the UK. Borders are being breached by criminal gangs worldwide. Life-threatening Channel crossings have occurred for years – it is time to act. Border Security Command is how we fight back. — Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) March 4, 2025 If accepted, they would be given three months in the UK to claim asylum or apply for a visa, and would be subject to the same rules for all asylum seekers not allowed to work, study or have access to benefits. Their claim could still be rejected during their time in the UK, and they could then be removed from the country. It is not clear what the criteria will be for deciding which migrants who arrive in the UK by small boat will be sent back to France, other than being aged over 18. New arrivals will be screened at Manston processing centre, in Kent, which is current procedure, before individuals determined to be suitable for the pilot and for detention, will be picked and held in an immigration removal centre. Their removal is expected to be made on the grounds of inadmissibility, that they have arrived from the UK from a safe country where their case can be heard instead, because an agreement is in place with France. The treaty confirms the migrants would be returned back to France by plane, and commits for a return to be completed within three months in all cases. It also agrees for a joint committee to be set up to monitor the agreement and arrange logistics. Migrants will be able to appeal against the decision based on exceptional circumstances. The Home Office said it had learned from the 'lengthy legal challenges' over the previous government's Rwanda scheme and would 'robustly defend' any attempts to block removal through the courts. – How many people will be part of the pilot and much will it cost? No official number of migrants has been confirmed to take part in the pilot, but it is understood numbers will grow over the pilot period and depend on operational factors. The Home Secretary has said the Government does not want to put a number on the amount as she believes it could aid criminal gangs. It has been reported that about 50 a week could be sent to France. This would be a stark contrast to the more than 800 people every week who on average have arrived in the UK via small boat this year. There is no funding to France associated with this agreement, and operations around the returns and arrivals will be paid for from the existing Home Office budget. – What has the reaction been to the deal? Opposition politicians were scathing about the Prime Minister's deal with Mr Macron, with shadow home secretary Chris Philp claiming the small percentage of arrivals to be removed would 'make no difference whatsoever'. On Tuesday, he added: 'This deal is unworkable and wide open to abuse.' Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also branded it a 'humiliation'. Meanwhile refugee charities have also criticised the plan and have urged the Government to provide more safe, legal routes for asylum seekers instead. Reacting to the plan coming into force, Amnesty International UK's refugee rights director, Steve Valdez-Symonds, said: 'Once again, refugees are treated like parcels, not people, while the public is left to pay the price for, yet another cruel, costly failure dressed up as policy.'
