Contact your local MP and spread this far and wide:
Subject: Urgent Action Required – Online Safety Act Harms
Dear [MP’s Name],
I am writing to you as a concerned constituent to demand urgent review and amendment of the Online Safety Act (OSA). While its stated aim is to protect users, it has already created serious harm to privacy, freedom of expression, and access to public knowledge.
The Government’s response to the Change.org petition failed to meaningfully address any of these widely raised concerns, offering vague assurances instead of evidence or concrete changes. This is unacceptable in a democracy.
Key problems now being reported: • Excessive censorship – Vague definitions of “harm” are silencing lawful speech, political debate, and online communities. • Privacy risks from mandatory age verification – Requires intrusive ID checks (including facial recognition), creating huge data breach risks. • Threat to public-interest platforms – Wikipedia and similar sites could face UK restrictions if forced to verify all contributors. • Erosion of encryption – Weakening secure communication systems in a way experts call “authoritarian” and “technically incoherent.” • Ineffectiveness – VPN use has surged by over 500%, making the law easy to bypass while still harming UK-based platforms. • Harm to vulnerable communities – Risks “outing” LGBTQ+ individuals and deterring use of safe online support spaces.
Recent events highlight the urgency: • High Court ruling (Aug 2025) dismissed Wikimedia’s challenge, but confirmed Ofcom must act proportionately. • Major online communities and platforms have blocked UK users or imposed invasive checks. • Civil rights groups and tech experts continue to warn the OSA is fundamentally flawed.
I am asking you to: 1. Support a full Parliamentary review of the OSA’s harms and unintended consequences. 2. Press for immediate amendments to protect privacy, encryption, and public-interest platforms. 3. Suspend or repeal the most damaging provisions until they can be replaced with proportionate, evidence-based measures.
This is not a partisan matter — it is about protecting fundamental rights, digital freedoms, and public trust. I request a written reply outlining your position and the actions you will take.
Yours sincerely, [Your Name] [Your Address]