CPJ warns of threats that UK’s draft Online Safety Bill proposes to press freedom
CPJ raises concerns over threats to press freedom in the UK’s draft Online Safety Bill, warning about potential censorship of news on immigration and limitations on private communication. The bill delegates content decisions to private platforms, potentially leading to excessive censorship and enabling global and domestic surveillance of journalists.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) criticises the UK’s draft Online Safety Bill, as it imposes several threats to press freedom. The proposed legislation could censor news coverage on immigration issues and undermine private communication. Although the bill does not prohibit encryption, public and private messages are subject to its content restrictions.
According to the Global Partners Digital group, the online safety bill continues to delegate decisions about illegal content to private platforms, effectively privatising the function of law enforcement and encouraging excessive censorship of appropriate information.
CPJ issues a warning that the law may allow for the global, as well as domestic, surveillance of journalists and their private conversations with sources.