UK Online Safety Act Forces Closure of Numerous Online Communities
2025-02-23
The UK's Online Safety Act 2023 has led to the closure or geo-blocking of numerous online communities and forums. From a Mastodon instance for AWS discussions to a long-standing green living forum with nearly 500,000 posts, and even a cycling forum, many have succumbed to the pressures of the new legislation. This raises concerns about freedom of speech online and the survival of online communities, highlighting the tension between online safety legislation and the thriving of online spaces.