Wikipedia operator loses court challenge to regulations under UK Online Safety Act

The operator of Wikipedia on Monday lost a legal challenge to parts of Britain's Online Safety Act, which sets tough new requirements for online platforms but has been criticised for potentially curtailing free speech.

The Wikimedia Foundation took legal action at London's High Court over regulations made under the law, which it said could impose the most stringent duties on Wikipedia.

The foundation said if it was subject to so-called Category 1 duties – which would require Wikipedia's users and contributors' identities to be verified – it would need to drastically reduce the number of users who can access the site.

Judge Jeremy Johnson dismissed its case on Monday, but said the Wikimedia Foundation could bring a further challenge if regulator Ofcom "(impermissibly) concludes that Wikipedia is a Category 1 service".

The Online Safety Act was criticised earlier this month by social media site X, which said significant changes were needed to the law.

Free-speech campaigners and content creators have complained its rules had been implemented too broadly, resulting in the censorship of legal content.

The British government says the law is designed to protect children and remove illegal content and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has said those who wanted to overturn it were "on the side of predators".