The long-delayed Online Safety Bill has finally become law after receiving royal assent. It is considered a flagship piece of legislation for the government, although it faced controversy and delays due to concerns over privacy implications. The bill aims to make the UK the safest place to be online by imposing rules on companies like Meta, Apple, and Wikipedia to keep inappropriate and dangerous content away from vulnerable users. This includes self-harm material, which has been linked to tragic incidents such as teenager Molly Russell’s suicide. The bill also holds platforms accountable for illegal content, enforces age limits on adult websites, and prevents underage children from creating social media accounts. One of the most controversial proposals is the requirement for platforms like WhatsApp and Signal to undermine messaging encryption to check for illegal content. The legislation has been in the works for several years, with concerns raised about its scope and potential impact on free speech. Charities, safety groups, bereaved parents, and abuse survivors have expressed support for the bill, citing the need to protect children online. Tech companies have opposed the legislation, particularly regarding the rules around legal but harmful content and messaging encryption. The bill will be enforced by media regulator Ofcom, with fines of up to £18 million or 10% of annual global turnover for companies found in breach. Ofcom will focus on setting new standards to make platforms safer while respecting privacy and freedom of expression.