LONDON – August 2025
Human rights groups are warning that online content supporting Palestine could soon be censored in the UK, following the combination of the Online Safety Act and the recent ban on protest group Palestine Action under anti-terror laws.
Organizations such as Index on Censorship and Open Rights Group have written to Ofcom, the UK’s media watchdog, urging it to clarify how new laws may affect online freedom of expression, particularly for those discussing Palestinian human rights or the Gaza conflict.
🚨 Risk of Mislabeling: Activism vs. Extremism
On July 5, 2025, the UK government officially proscribed Palestine Action as a terrorist group. Since then, online content sympathetic to Palestinians or critical of Israel could be wrongly interpreted as support for the banned group — even if the posts are peaceful or express legitimate dissent.
Sara Chitseko of the Open Rights Group said:
“Vague, overly broad laws could lead to legitimate content about Palestine being removed or hidden online. People may start self-censoring, afraid of being labelled as terrorist sympathizers for merely sharing a post or article.”
📱 Social Media Under Pressure to Over-Censor
Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter) have been advised by Ofcom that being overly cautious may help them avoid penalties under the Online Safety Act. This has led to fears of excessive automated content moderation, especially affecting Palestinian voices and pro-human rights posts.
The letter signed by multiple rights groups stated:
“Automated moderation could disproportionately silence political speech, especially from marginalized communities. Palestine solidarity content is at risk of being removed or hidden, leaving users vulnerable to surveillance or criminalization.”
🔇 No Appeal Process in the UK – Unlike the EU
Unlike the European Union’s digital regulations, the UK currently lacks an appeals mechanism for users whose content is taken down. This means:
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No clear path for users to challenge unfair censorship
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Lawful content could be deleted without explanation
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Activists and journalists reporting on Palestine may face legal threats
Rights groups are urging Ofcom and tech giants like Meta, Alphabet (Google/YouTube), ByteDance (TikTok), and X to implement a British content appeal mechanism.
🧷 What Is the Online Safety Act?
The Online Safety Act, passed in 2023 and fully enforced in 2025, requires platforms to:
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Remove illegal content quickly (e.g., terrorism, hate speech)
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Protect users from harmful but legal content (e.g., misinformation, political extremism)
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Ensure child safety and restrict age-inappropriate material
However, critics argue that the law gives broad discretionary power to social media companies and encourages over-censorship.
🧾 Ofcom Responds: No Obligation to Restrict Legal Content
An Ofcom spokesperson responded to concerns:
“There is no requirement for platforms to restrict legal content for adult users. In fact, they must balance this with users' freedom of expression.”
But digital rights advocates believe platforms may still err on the side of caution, especially when faced with vague definitions of ‘support’ for proscribed groups like Palestine Action.
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