The Wikimedia Foundation, operator of Wikipedia, has lost its bid to overturn parts of Britain’s Online Safety Act at London’s High Court. The organisation had challenged regulations it feared could impose strict Category 1 duties, including mandatory identity verification for users and contributors, which it argued would drastically limit access for British users. Judge Jeremy Johnson dismissed the case but noted Wikimedia could return to court if regulator Ofcom wrongly categorised Wikipedia as a Category 1 service.
While the ruling did not offer the immediate protections Wikimedia sought, the court stressed that Ofcom and the UK government must ensure Wikipedia’s operations are not significantly impeded. Wikimedia welcomed these remarks, citing them as a reminder of the authorities’ responsibility to safeguard the platform’s open-access nature.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology did not comment on the verdict, while Ofcom said it would continue work on categorising services under the law. The Online Safety Act, passed in 2023 and now being implemented, has faced criticism from social media platforms like X, free-speech campaigners, and content creators who argue it risks censoring legal material.
British officials maintain the law is intended to protect children and remove illegal content. Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has defended the legislation, saying opponents of its provisions are “on the side of predators.”