UK: New Tory Government Backpedals From Plan to Censor 'Legal But Harmful' Content

UK: New Tory Government Backpedals From Plan to Censor 'Legal But Harmful' Content

LONDON — New U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has indicated that his Tory government will backpedal from controversial language in the proposed Online Safety Bill, which would have required online services to remove content that some MPs consider “legal but harmful,” including most pornography.

This week, several U.K. news outlets — including The Sun, a Rupert Murdoch-owned tabloid that backs the Conservatives — reported that Sunak “will bring back the online safety bill this month, but will ditch the ‘legal but harmful’ clause amid freedom of speech fears.”

Sunak — the second Tory politician attempting to form a government following the collapse of Boris Johnson’s government earlier this summer and the non-starter debacle of Liz Truss’ attempt — has “ordered Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan to get to work” on bringing the Online Safety Bill back to the House of Commons “with a string of amendments.”

Sunak has told insiders he “wants to make the promised new laws a ‘priority’ for his new government,” the Sun reported.

A 'Broken Piece of Legislation'

Free Speech and digital rights advocates around the world have denounced provisions of the bill as vague, apt to be misinterpreted and likely to lead to broad self-censorship by overcautious service providers and platforms.

Yesterday, the U.K.'s Center for Data Innovation issued the following statement from Senior Policy Analyst Kir Nuthi:

“I want to commend Prime Minister Sunak and his cabinet for committing to remove some of the worst provisions in the bill that would limit free expression. The requirements for certain online platforms to monitor and remove legal but harmful content were too broad and risked politicizing which content would be restricted in the UK. Removing this provision from the scope of the Online Safety Bill is a step toward protecting free expression.

“Unfortunately, the Online Safety Bill still needs work. Until an amended Online Safety Bill protects encrypted communications, the Online Safety Bill will continue to be a broken piece of legislation.”

A Pet Project of Vocal Anti-Porn and Anti-Sex-Work Crusaders

As XBIZ reported, in August the controversial Online Safety Bill was removed from the House of Commons schedule.

The last debate before the postponement included a motion by anti-porn activist and Labour MP Dame Diana Johnson, chair of the Home Affairs Committee, to insert amendments that, in her words, “would place a legal duty on online platforms hosting pornographic content to combat and remove illegal content through the specific and targeted measure of verifying the age and consent of every individual featured in pornographic content on their sites.”

Had Johnson’s amendments passed, they would have implicitly created a legal category of “pornography websites,” which would then have been subject to record-keeping mandates.

Such mandates could potentially also force open platforms such as Twitter or Reddit, which tolerate adult content, to reevaluate their content policies in order to avoid being categorized as “pornography websites” and thereby forced to keep records of the age and identity of anyone appearing on any piece of sexual content posted on the site.

The Online Safety Bill, adult industry attorney Maxine Lynn explained, would also allow “an arm of the U.K. government to define certain legal speech as ‘harmful,’ and requires social media sites, search engines, and similar platforms to establish and publish procedures for dealing with that ‘harmful’ speech.”

These procedures “may include removal, deleting, and hiding of content, among other things,” she added. “It also requires age verification for pornography.”

According to Lynn, governments “flagging categories of legal speech as harmful, and requiring the policing of such by Big Tech, threatens the existence of free speech, and certainly, the adult industry.”

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Supreme Court Rules Against Adult Industry in Pivotal Texas AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday issued its decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, striking a blow against the online adult industry by ruling in support of Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

North Carolina Passes Extreme Bill Targeting Adult Sites

The North Carolina state legislature this week ratified a bill that would impose new regulations that industry observers have warned could push adult websites and platforms to ban most adult creators and content.

Supreme Court Ruling Due Friday in FSC v. Paxton AV Case

The U.S. Supreme Court will rule on Friday in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, the adult industry trade association's challenge to Texas’ controversial age verification law, HB 1181.

Ofcom: More Porn Providers Commit to Age Assurance Measures

A number of adult content providers operating in the U.K. have confirmed that they plan to introduce age checks in compliance with the Online Safety Act by the July 25 deadline, according to U.K. media regulator Ofcom.

Aylo Says It Will Comply With UK Age Assurance Requirements

Tech and media company Aylo, which owns various adult properties including Pornhub, YouPorn and Redtube, plans to introduce age assurance methods in the United Kingdom that satisfy government rules under the Online Safety Act, the company has announced.

Kyrgyzstan Parliament Approves Measure Outlawing Internet Porn

The Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday passed legislation outlawing online adult content in the country.

Trial Set for Lawsuit by U Wisconsin Professor Fired Over Adult Content

A trial date of June 22, 2026, has been set for the civil lawsuit filed by veteran communications professor Joe Gow against the University of Wisconsin board of regents, which fired him for creating and appearing in adult content.

New UK Task Force Meets to Target Adult Content

The architect of an influential report that recommended banning adult content deemed “degrading, violent and misogynistic” has convened an “Independent Pornography Review task force” aimed at translating that report’s findings into action in the U.K.

11:11 Creations Launches Affiliate Program

11:11 Creations principal Alicia Silver has launched 11:11 Cash for creators and affiliates.

Pineapple Support, Pornhub to Host 'Self Love' Support Group

Pineapple Support and Pornhub are hosting a free online support group for performers to develop self-love.

Show More