✓ Passed into LawLords
UK Parliament · Bill
Online Safety Act 2023
Summary
The Online Safety Act 2023 is a new law that requires social media platforms and websites to take responsibility for harmful content posted by users. It sets standards for what companies must do to protect people from illegal material and abuse, with the government's communications regulator (Ofcom) checking that companies follow the rules.
A vote to support means
- —Supporting this Act means backing new rules that make websites and social media platforms responsible for removing harmful content like child abuse material, terrorism, and illegal hate speech. Supporters believe it protects vulnerable people, especially children, from dangerous online content and holds big tech companies accountable.
A vote to oppose means
- —Critics worry the Act could limit free speech and allow too much government control over what people can say online. They're also concerned it might force platforms to remove content too aggressively, including legitimate opinions, and could harm smaller websites that can't afford the new safety measures.
Cast Your Vote
People's Vote10 votes
0% Support · 0100% Oppose · 10
Parliament's Vote498 MPs
64% Ayes · 32036% Noes · 178
Democratic Gap
64% — Large gap
Outcome mismatch — the public would block this bill, but Parliament passed it
Bill Passage
Commons
- 1st reading17 Mar 2022
- 2nd reading19 Apr 2022
- 1st reading11 May 2022
- 2nd reading11 May 2022
- Committee stage24 May 2022
- Report stage12 Jul 2022
- Report stage17 Jan 2023
- 3rd reading17 Jan 2023
Lords
- 1st reading18 Jan 2023
- 2nd reading1 Feb 2023
- Committee stage19 Apr 2023
- Report stage6 Jul 2023
Full Bill Description(click to expand)
No description available