Critics argue the Online Safety Act creates a censorship regime and turns the country into a “borderline dystopian state” A petition to repeal the UK’s stringent new internet safety rules has surpassed 400,000 signatures within just five days of their enforcement. Critics claim the legislation restricts access to legal content and erodes digital privacy, although the British government has insisted the measures are necessary to protect children.  The Online Safety Act, adopted in 2023, grants