A Digital Duty of Care: A Critical Review of the Online Safety Bill

This critical perspective makes a timely contribution to the tech policy debate concerning the monitoring and moderation of online content. Governments globally are currently considering a range of legislative interventions to limit online abuse, disinformation, and the dissemination of illegal content on social media platforms. These interventions will significantly impact online free speech, competition between platforms, and the democratic function of online platforms. By investigating the UK’s Online Safety Bill, comparing it with similar interventions, and considering the political impact of different digital tools for moderation, this perspective aims to inform the current policy debate by combining technical and political insight. It indicates the need for further research into the comparative efficacy of different methods of content monitoring and moderation.