UK’s Online Safety Bill that was published as a draft on May 12, 2021, is reportedly having certain flaws say, experts. When going through the freshly set guidelines, the draft gives us the understanding that it only applies to big companies like Facebook and will only imply to users who upload or download content from/to companies such as Facebook, Google, and Twitter.
In reality, the bill was proposed to put a check on online child abuse and the blasphemy content that is being circulated on various social network platforms. Also, the bill was supposed to be drafted in such a way that it also imposes restrictions on X-rated commercial sites that allow users to generate and post content and safeguards online users from racist abuse.
John Carr, the secretary of the Children’s Charities Coalition on Internet Safety stated that the drafted bill looks disappointing as it doesn’t address various issues to the core like imposing restrictions on the way the content is generated, distributed, and viewed on various A-related websites.
Mr. Carr feels that the draft looks frightening as it plans to scrutinize the laws on a further note- leading to serious restrictions on freedom of speech of various online users.
Note- Since 2019, some privacy advocates from France have been asking the government to impose fines on platforms that fail to curb the circulation of hateful content and fake news. So, the European Union that was busy with the procedural recording of Brexit till the end of last year has now decided to overhaul the existing digital laws in favor of online users. And with regards to it, it has drafted and presented a new bill on May 12th, 2021 that is giving a feeling to the UK populace that the newly drafted bill is acting like censorship on liberal democracy.
