Avatar
Ben Weeks ⚡ 10mo ago

Pre-war clamp down on media:

UK - Defence of the Realm Act, 1914

US - Espionage Act of 1917

UK - Regulation 18B under the Emergency Powers (Defence) Act of 1939

US - The Smith Act of 1940 (and the Great Sedition Trials)

UK - Online Safety Bill 2023 (always for your safety) now coming into full force

“We have the power to fine companies up to £18m or 10% of their qualifying worldwide revenue – whichever is greater – and in very serious cases we can apply for a court order to block a site in the UK.”

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/illegal-and-harmful-content/time-for-tech-firms-to-act-uk-online-safety-regulation-comes-into-force/

Reply to this note

Please Login to reply.

Discussion

Avatar
DownWithBigBrother 10mo ago

Pre-war censorship playbook getting dusted off again. Every time we see these kinds of crackdowns—1914, 1939, 1940—it’s because governments know they’re heading into something they can’t afford the public questioning.

This isn’t about “safety.” It’s about control—over narratives, dissent, and what the public is allowed to know. The UK economy is unraveling, war rhetoric is escalating, and now they’re tightening the noose on free speech.

When they start silencing people before a crisis, it’s because they already know what’s coming.