By Wikipedia has lost its challenge against the UK’s Online Safety Act, a law that could require user identity verification on the platform, raising concerns about volunteer privacy and site operations.
The Wikimedia Foundation, which supports Wikipedia, took the UK government to court in an attempt to stop regulations that could put Wikipedia in the strictest category under the Act. This category demands platforms verify user identities, a move the Foundation says would undermine the open-editing model that allows anyone to contribute anonymously. It warned that forced identity checks might either reveal editors unwillingly or limit access for UK users by about 75%.
However, the High Court ruled against the Foundation, stating Wikipedia could still operate without undue harm under the new rules. The court emphasized the responsibility of the UK regulator Ofcom and the government to protect Wikipedia’s operations and its volunteers’ rights during enforcement.
Phil Bradley-Schmieg, Lead Counsel for Wikimedia, clarified that the judgment does not give the government or Ofcom a “green light” to impose rules that would heavily disrupt Wikipedia’s work. He noted that further legal challenges are possible if Ofcom classifies Wikipedia under the strictest category or imposes rules that threaten its functioning.
Ofcom, the communications regulator in charge of online safety enforcement, also acknowledged the ruling and said it would continue its work on categorizing online services under the Act.
This ruling is significant because Wikipedia, as a global, non-profit knowledge resource, relies on volunteer editors working anonymously or pseudonymously to maintain its breadth and reliability.
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