Academics and OSA stakeholders say watchdog needs to amend how controversial legislation is enforced

Industry experts expressed both concern and sympathy for Ofcom, the Brit regulator that is overseeing the Online Safety Act, as questions mount over the effectiveness of the controversial legislation.

The UK's Communications and Digital Committee heard from academic and industry leaders this week about various aspects of how the Online Safety Act (OSA) is being enforced, many of whom criticized the regulator's recent comments.

Particular attention was given to Ofcom's previous claim that the OSA could potentially have prevented situations similar to the Southport riots which broke out in 2024, had it been in force at the time.

The riots broke out in the aftermath of the Southport knife attack, where three girls aged from six to nine were stabbed to death while attending a summer holiday dance class. The idea is that such regulations might have stopped the misinformation over the attacker's background, identity, and ...