Wikipedia's owner challenges categorization rules under UK's Online Safety Act

Wikimedia says it shouldn't be held to the same standard as Facebook or X. The Wikimedia Foundation, hosts of the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia , is challenging an aspect of the United Kingdom’s Online Safety Act (OSA). The law aims to protect users from harmful online content by imposing restrictions and fines on large internet platforms such as social media companies. While the law was originally passed in 2023, enforcement and categorization of companies subject to the law are only taking shape now . The law sorts online platforms into categories that are then met with varying levels of restrictions and enforcement. Wikimedia is specifically challenging the “categorisation regulations” under the law, arguing that Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, is using a flawed and vague system of metrics to judge what category a platform falls into. Under the current definition , metrics like number of UK users and the ability to forward or share content make it more likely that ... Read full article.