The Wikimedia Foundation has suffered a setback in its legal challenge against the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA), with a High Court judge dismissing the case on August 11, 2025.
However, the ruling left a critical opening: the decision can be appealed if Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, improperly classifies Wikipedia as a Category 1 service.
Category 1 imposes the strictest regulations, including mandatory user identity verification—a measure that clashes with Wikipedia’s core principle of anonymous editing. For many contributors, particularly those in authoritarian regimes, anonymity is not a flaw but a vital feature, enabling them to share crucial information without fear of reprisal.
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According to the Wikimedia Foundation, enforcing verification could force significant restrictions on British users’ access to the site, potentially undermining its global reach and collaborative model. The judge, while rejecting the initial claim, emphasized that his ruling does not grant Ofcom a “green light” to pressure Wikipedia. This acknowledgment highlights the court’s recognition of the potential risks to the platform, even as it upholds the current regulatory framework.
The decision underscores a tension between online safety measures and the preservation of free knowledge, leaving the door open for future legal scrutiny if Ofcom oversteps.
