ORG publishes briefing paper ahead of OSA parlimantary debate

The Open Rights Group (ORG) has published a briefing paper ahead of the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA) Parliamentary Petition Debate, scheduled for 15 December, which highlights significant public concerns about the OSA's implementation. The paper criticises the introduction of age-assurance measures perceived as unsafe and misapplied, leading to arbitrary censorship and the closure of smaller websites due to compliance fears. The briefing argues that the OSA's focus on removing illegal content fails to address the monopolistic practices of major platforms, which contribute to misinformation and user disempowerment. To effectively tackle these issues, the ORG calls on MPs to support a balanced approach that protects user rights and promotes child safety. Key recommendations include regulating age assurance, exempting small services from stringent regulations, ensuring due-process protections, and enhancing user control over content prioritisation and moderation.

The level of dissatisfaction with the OSA is such that over 550,000 individuals signed a petition calling for it to be repealed. 

In a separate post on the same issue, ORG published a joint briefing in conjunction with Big Brother Watch, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Index on Censorship. 

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