This statement is referring to an increasingly common criticism of the UK government concerning its approach to online speech and digital communication. Critics argue that certain legislation or proposals can be overly restrictive and can inadvertently suppress free speech.
For example, some point to the Online Safety Bill proposed in 2021, which plans to impose a duty of care on social media platforms and technology companies, requiring them to remove ‘harmful’ content. While the intention is to protect users from harmful material such as hate speech, cyber