U.S.-based internet forums 4chan and Kiwi Farms are suing Britain's media regulator Ofcom over its enforcement of the Online Safety Act, escalating tensions between American tech groups and European regulators while U.S. officials celebrate a major privacy victory for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL).
4chan And Kiwi Farms File Free Speech Lawsuit Against Ofcom
The controversial online forums filed their lawsuit in the U.S., alleging that Ofcom's enforcement of Britain's Online Safety Act violates Americans' right to free speech, reported Reuters on Thursday.
The case marks a significant escalation in the growing clash between tech platforms and regulatory bodies in the U.K. and EU, which say the law is designed to protect users from harmful content online.
Critics, including President Donald Trump, argue the legislation threatens free expression and unfairly targets U.S. companies.
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Ofcom Warns UK-Linked Platforms Of Online Safety Act Fines
Ofcom stated that it is aware of the lawsuit, the report said.
A spokesperson said, under the Online Safety Act, any service connected to the U.K. is obliged to protect U.K. users, regardless of where it is headquartered. The law, however, does not mandate safeguarding users outside the U.K.
Both platforms stated they have no operations, infrastructure, or presence beyond the U.S.
Still, the act considers a service connected to Britain if it has a substantial number of U.K. users. Non-compliance could lead Ofcom to impose fines of up to 10% of applicable global revenue, the report added.
Apple Wins Fight Against UK Over Encryption Backdoor
The lawsuit coincides with Apple's victory in a high-profile standoff with the U.K. government. Earlier this month, U.S. intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard announced that Britain had dropped its demand for the company to create a backdoor into its encrypted iCloud services after months of pushback from the Trump administration.
A U.K. government spokesperson did not confirm the deal but said that Britain collaborates closely with the U.S. to tackle security threats while safeguarding civil liberties.
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