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Online safety and free speech debates

The Online Safety Act 2023 has sparked debates about the balance between online safety and free speech, with proponents arguing for stronger protections and critics warning of overreach and chilling effects.

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Jan 15, 2026
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What precise text in the Online Safety Act mentions client‑side scanning or Ofcom technical notices and how have courts interpreted those clauses?

The Online Safety Act does not use the phrase “client‑side scanning” but creates a mechanism—centralised in Clause 104 and surrounding provisions—that allows Ofcom to issue “technology” or “content‑sc...