Implementation of the Online Safety Law in Ukraine

• The Online Safety Law requires verification of age for websites with adult content.
• Criticism from Elon Musk regarding censorship and freedom of speech.
• Increase in the use of VPNs to bypass new restrictions.

In the United Kingdom, on July 25, 2025, the Online Safety Law came into effect. This law requires online services to assess risks associated with the dissemination of harmful content, including materials related to the sexual exploitation of children.

Along with the new regulations, websites that host pornographic or adult content must undergo "reliable" age verification checks. However, as it turned out, the new requirements can be circumvented, for example, by using images of fictional characters, which raises serious questions about the effectiveness of measures aimed at protecting children.

The owner of the platform X, Elon Musk, expressed concern that the Online Safety Law could seriously infringe on freedom of speech. He asserts that the law, while having "good intentions," could indeed lead to censorship. In response to this, government representatives stated that the purpose of the law is not to limit freedom but to protect children from harmful content.

However, many questions arise regarding the implementation of the law. After the introduction of the new rules, there has been a noticeable increase in demand for virtual private networks (VPNs), which indicates a lack of trust among people in the age verification system. Studies show that many users prefer not to share their personal data in order to access adult content.

Critics of the law also pointed out that it may have unintended consequences, including restricting access to legal content and forums that are not harmful to children. Many people have signed a petition demanding to repeal this law, asserting that it is fundamentally restrictive.

Tags: Europe/Politics