Less than two weeks after its implementation, the United Kingdom’s Online Safety Act is already generating widespread disruption across the internet, with users reporting unexpected blocks on content ranging from world news and public health information to music streaming and video game features.

The law, which came into effect on July 25, requires websites hosting material deemed “harmful to children” to implement strict age verification. Platforms must block minors, and anyone refusing to verify with an ID check, facial scan, or other measures, from accessing sexual imagery, self-harm content, depictions of violence, and a broad range of “priority” material, including posts considered abusive or hateful based on race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or gender reassignment.

While intended to safeguard young users, the rollout has triggered a surge in workarounds. Proton VPN reported a 1,800% spike in U.K. sign-ups, and VPNs now dominate the country’s top free app downloads. Critics say the law’s most immediate effect has been teaching minors to bypass restrictions rather than protecting them.

Reported Cases of Blocked Content

• Support Groups: Reddit has restricted the r/NoFap anti-masturbation forum, as well as health-related subreddits on quitting smoking, safe sex, and sexual assault support.
• News Access: BBC Verify found that unverified users were blocked from posts on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, including non-graphic footage and parliamentary debates on grooming gangs.
• Historic Art: Francisco de Goya’s 19th-century painting Saturn Devouring His Son was flagged for age verification on X (formerly Twitter).
• Music Streaming: Spotify is testing age checks with Yoti facial scans for videos labeled 18+, warning that underage accounts will be deactivated.
• Facial Recognition Issues: A man with extensive facial tattoos reported that verification systems fail to recognize his face.
• Gaming Restrictions: Microsoft is beginning age verification for Xbox social features, with full compliance required in early 2026. Nexus Mods and potentially Grand Theft Auto are preparing similar measures.
• Messaging Platforms: Discord has activated teen-appropriate settings for all U.K. users, requiring verification to disable filters.
• Sex Work Content: Adult creators on X report that unverified U.K. users are unable to find their accounts, even when following them.
• Blocked Discussions About Blocking: A thread on X detailing restricted content was itself restricted.

The Age Verification Providers Association estimates that five million additional online age checks are now being performed daily in the U.K., largely due to pornography site compliance.

Public opinion has shifted swiftly. YouGov polling shows support for the law dropping from 80% to 69% in the first week of enforcement.

Civil liberties advocates warn of privacy risks.

“Even when these systems ‘work,’ they’re creating massive honeypots of personal data,” said Mike Masnick of Techdirt. The Electronic Frontier Foundation added, “No one—no matter their age—should have to hand over their passport or driver’s license just to access legal information and speak freely.”

International pushback is growing. Wikipedia has filed suit, and U.S. lawmakers have accused the U.K.’s Office of Communications (Ofcom) of overreach. Still, similar age-verification proposals are advancing in parts of the United States, raising the possibility of comparable restrictions abroad.

Online Safety Act Echoes Past U.K. Internet Regulation Failures

The backlash to the United Kingdom’s Online Safety Act recalls earlier attempts to control online content—most notably the 2019 Digital Economy Act’s age-verification provisions for pornography, which were abandoned before full rollout after years of delays, technical problems, and legal challenges.

The 2019 plan, known informally as the “porn block,” required pornography websites to verify the age of U.K. visitors using credit cards, ID checks, or proprietary systems from approved providers. It faced intense criticism from privacy advocates, who warned that the scheme would create centralized databases of sexual preferences and identifying documents, a target for hackers and blackmailers.

Technical feasibility was also a problem. Many adult websites were hosted abroad and could sidestep compliance by blocking U.K. traffic entirely. The proposed enforcement powers, which included ordering ISPs to block noncompliant sites, drew warnings about overblocking lawful content and pushing users toward unregulated platforms.

By October 2019, the government quietly scrapped the plan, citing a decision to address online harms “through a more comprehensive approach,” a reference to what would later become the Online Safety Bill.

Other past initiatives have faced similar resistance:

• 2013 ISP Filters: Then-Prime Minister David Cameron persuaded major ISPs to activate default adult-content filters for all customers. The filters drew complaints for overblocking, including charity websites, educational resources on sexual health, and domestic abuse helplines.
• Investigatory Powers Act (2016): Dubbed the “Snooper’s Charter,” it mandated mass data retention by ISPs and granted broad surveillance powers. Civil liberties groups argued it set a precedent for disproportionate state intrusion into digital life.
• Counter-Terrorism Internet Content Removals: Since 2010, the Home Office has repeatedly pushed platforms to remove extremist material. Critics warned that automated moderation often swept up journalism, satire, and legitimate political debate.

The Online Safety Act combines elements of these earlier efforts, mandatory blocking, sweeping content categories, and age-gating, but on a far broader scale and with potential criminal liability for tech executives. This high-stakes framework has increased international concern, especially among U.S. companies wary of setting a precedent for global online regulation.