Abstract

This article examines the UK Online Safety Act (2023) and its international reception, assessing legal, political and technical implications. Drawing on comparative perspectives from the United States, Canada, Australia and Turkey, the author evaluates debates around content moderation, free expression and regulatory convergence – alongside related UK measures such as the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill and the EU Cyber Resilience Act. Balancing the need for tougher responses to online harms against the risks to civil liberties and innovation, the research places the Act within wider global policy trends and considers how Britain’s model might influence smaller jurisdictions such as Georgia. The study highlights contested trade‑offs and offers evidence‑based reflections on the Act’s first year of implementation.