Enhanced Modifications to the UK's Online Safety Act Lauded as Progress, Yet Continue to Pose Threats to Freedom of Expression and Privacy, Assertions Guardian Center for Data Innovation
The UK's Online Safety Bill, designed to protect internet users from harmful content, is facing criticism from various quarters, particularly the Center for Data Innovation. The organization has raised concerns about the Bill's potential impact on user privacy, anonymity, free speech, and end-to-end encryption.
In June 2022, Kir Nuthi, Senior Policy Analyst at the Center for Data Innovation, submitted written evidence titled "Written evidence submitted to the Public Bill Committee by Kir Nuthi, Senior Policy Analyst at the Center for Data Innovation, on the Online Safety Bill (OSB43)". This evidence highlighted the Bill's focus on age assurance and verification, which could potentially harm users' privacy and anonymity, limit access to certain sections of the Internet, and curb free speech through over-censorship.
In August 2022, Kir Nuthi and Mella Tesfazgi published a report titled "Reforming the UK Online Safety Bill to Protect Legal Free Expression and Anonymity" (Center for Data Innovation). This report further emphasised the need for safeguards to avoid excessive data collection, censorship, or weakening encryption standards under the Online Safety Bill framework.
The Global Encryption Coalition, including the Center for Data Innovation, submitted a letter titled "Coalition Letter to Parliament: Fix Online Safety Bill to Not Undermine Encryption" in November 2022. This letter expressed concerns about the Bill's potential impact on end-to-end encryption, arguing that enforcing online safety could lead to government demands to weaken or undermine encryption, thereby exposing private communications to surveillance and weakening user security and privacy protections.
The UK government has made changes to the Online Safety Bill, with improvements to some of the bill's worst provisions, such as those related to "legal but harmful" content for adults and criminal offenses for harmful communications. However, concerns remain that the Bill still incentivizes online services to undermine end-to-end encryption.
In a statement, Kir Nuthi, Senior Policy Analyst at the Center for Data Innovation, expressed the organization's ongoing concerns about the Online Safety Bill. The statement called for lawmakers to continue making revisions to address these concerns before considering whether to move forward with the Bill.
As the Online Safety Bill continues its journey through the UK parliament, it is crucial that these concerns are carefully considered to ensure that the Bill strikes a balance between protecting users and preserving their fundamental rights to privacy, anonymity, free speech, and robust encryption.
[1] Kir Nuthi, Mella Tesfazgi, "Reforming the UK Online Safety Bill to Protect Legal Free Expression and Anonymity", Center for Data Innovation, August 2022, https://www.c4di.org/reforming-the-uk-online-safety-bill-to-protect-legal-free-expression-and-anonymity/
[2] Kir Nuthi, "Written evidence submitted to the Public Bill Committee by Kir Nuthi, Senior Policy Analyst at the Center for Data Innovation, on the Online Safety Bill (OSB43)", Center for Data Innovation, June 2022, https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/35664/pdf/
[3] Global Encryption Coalition, "Coalition Letter to Parliament: Fix Online Safety Bill to Not Undermine Encryption", November 2022, https://www.globalencryptioncoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/GCC-UK-Online-Safety-Bill-Letter-FINAL.pdf
[4] Kir Nuthi, "The Effect of International Proposals for Monitoring Obligations on End-to-End Encryption", Center for Data Innovation, November 2022, https://www.c4di.org/the-effect-of-international-proposals-for-monitoring-obligations-on-end-to-end-encryption/
- The UK's Online Safety Bill, aimed at protecting internet users, is facing criticism from the Center for Data Innovation, particularly over concerns about its potential impact on user privacy, anonymity, free speech, and end-to-end encryption.
- Kir Nuthi, Senior Policy Analyst at the Center for Data Innovation, submitted written evidence titled "Written evidence submitted to the Public Bill Committee by Kir Nuthi, Senior Policy Analyst at the Center for Data Innovation, on the Online Safety Bill (OSB43)" in June 2022, highlighting the Bill's potential harm to user privacy and anonymity, and potential curbing of free speech through over-censorship.
- In August 2022, Kir Nuthi and Mella Tesfazgi published a report titled "Reforming the UK Online Safety Bill to Protect Legal Free Expression and Anonymity" (Center for Data Innovation), emphasizing the need for safeguards to avoid excessive data collection, censorship, or weakening encryption standards under the Online Safety Bill framework.
- The Global Encryption Coalition, including the Center for Data Innovation, submitted a letter titled "Coalition Letter to Parliament: Fix Online Safety Bill to Not Undermine Encryption" in November 2022, expressing concerns about the Bill's potential impact on end-to-end encryption, arguing that enforcing online safety could lead to government demands to weaken or undermine encryption.
- In a statement, Kir Nuthi, Senior Policy Analyst at the Center for Data Innovation, expressed ongoing concerns about the Online Safety Bill, calling for lawmakers to continue making revisions to address these concerns before considering whether to move forward with the Bill, as the Bill still incentivizes online services to undermine end-to-end encryption.
