Save Free Speech

The ability to speak freely is one of the most empowering rights in a democracy – but this hard-won freedom is under threat in the UK.

TAKE ACTION

Online

The internet began as a marketplace of ideas where anyone could speak and share ideas without fear of the state breathing down our necks - but the technological revolution we are living through has presented opportunities for censorship on a scale never seen before.

From the censorial Online Safety Act, to police turning up at people's doorsteps for social media posts and proposals to restrict under-16s from social media and VPNs…The time to stand up for our online freedoms is now.

Offline

The right to protest is a cornerstone of our democracy. Many of the freedoms that we cherish in our society came about by people being brave enough to speak truth to power.

But scenes of peaceful protesters, including elderly and disabled people, being arrested under terror laws for holding signs are clear examples of a government abusing its power. Police are shutting down protests and scanning the faces of demonstrators. The government plans to ban face coverings and protests in huge areas.

TELL ANDY BURNHAM NO TO DIGITAL ID CHECKS

Tell Andy Burnham to stop plans to introduce digital ID checks for social media. Make sure you personalise your email with your name, postcode, and your own reasoned arguments and feelings about proposed plans to restrict social media access and introduce digital ID by the backdoor.

Step 1: Enter your details

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Step 2: Personalise message

I am writing to you because I am deeply concerned about the previous Government's proposals to restrict access to social media. I am asking you to change course. As announced, the ban will inevitably require every adult in Britain to submit to digital ID checks simply to access the internet. Polling makes clear that support for these proposals drops substantially if it requires mandatory ID or banning VPNs. The more platforms that require ID, the greater the risk that ordinary people’s IDs and biometrics will fall into the wrong hands. In 2025, the ID information used to verify Discord users was leaked. In the same year, a women’s dating app called “Tea” saw over 70,000 images, including IDs and verification selfies, which users were told would be ‘deleted immediately’, being uploaded to 4chan. With anonymity not guaranteed, some may feel that they are unable to use services that could help them. Victims of domestic abuse or control, and political dissidents opposing authoritarian foreign regimes have good reason to fear their identities being exposed. I am concerned that Big Tech will not use all of this new information they gain responsibly. Meta, for instance, has faced repeated regulatory action for using sensitive behavioural data to target advertising, including to teenagers. These same companies have also used vast swathes of data, with little regard to ownership or consent, to train new AI products. I understand that proponents of this scheme say we may not need to provide IDs because we could use age-assurance technologies. Age assurance technologies have a known margin of error of several years, which means they routinely misclassify 16 and 17-year-olds as adults, and adults as children. Even if they did work, data from these scans could easily be used by abusers to create deepfake videos or by fraudsters to bypass facial recognition used for online banking. I also fear that, inevitably, the state would seek backdoor access to this data, given that surveillance laws already give government and police access to our internet records. Britain is not a “papers, please” society. It never has been, and should not become one. I would ask you to stop any proposal that creates ID or age-verification requirements for all users. To support greater use of, and support for, positive alternatives like parental controls, digital literacy and user tools, and to challenge big tech business models. Those responsible should be held to account. The public's privacy should not be traded away. Yours sincerely,

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UK censorship by numbers

150,000+

Non-crime hate incidents recorded by UK police forces

3,000

People arrested for protesting in support of Palestine Action

People arrested each day over offensive posts made online in England & Wales in 2023

Key arguments for freedom

Why is freedom of speech so important?

It allows ideas to flourish

From scientific debate, to religion, art and philosophy — without free speech, creativity and human progress is limited.

It allows us to make informed choices

Having the ability to listen to all sides of an issue and access to uncensored information allows us to learn more and make independent decisions.

It allows us to speak truth to power

The right to free speech doesn't discriminate. It is an empowering right that allows all of us to speak out against injustice.

It keeps democracy alive

From protection against silencing political opponents to being free to debate complex and divisive political issues, freedom of speech underpins democracy.

Take Action

Reject digital ID for social media

Tell Andy Burnham to stop plans to introduce digital ID checks to impose social media restrictions.

Say No2DigitalID

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Absurd examples of content blocked by the Online Safety Act

The UK's censorial Online Safety Act achieved Royal Assent in October, 2023. Overseen by the regulator Ofcom, the act threatens our rights and liberties and includes content takedown obligations, age-gating large parts of the internet, amassing a large amount of executive control over how the internet is regulated and even contains provisions to sanction the scanning of our messages en masse.

Below are some examples of content - ranging from absurd to deeply troubling - blocked by the Act. On the platform X (formerly Twitter), images of Francisco Goya’s 1820s painting were blurred until users passed age checks. Users have also seen a "temporary restriction" blocking tweets with content deemed unsuitable for those under 18. On Reddit, users have not been able to view or participate in discussion channels on trivial topics and political issues until they give up their ID or a face scan to prove their age.

Worrying examples of protest clampdowns

Met Police banned a pro-Palestine march from going ahead near BBC’s Headquarters under the Public Order Act in January 2025

Met Police banned multiple UKIP protests from going ahead in Whitechapel under the Public Order Act in October 2025 & January 2026

Pro-Palestine protestor stood trial for coconut placard – was eventually acquitted

Coronation day protest arrests – 52 people arrested misuse of a range of police powers, including those introduced by the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Act 2022, and by the new Public Order Act 2023

The Met Police threatened a campaigner with arrest for being “openly Jewish” near a pro-Palestine march. They later issued a full apology.

IN THE MEDIA

The Guardian – Social media ban would demand a “papers, please” approach to get online, campaigners warn

June 15, 2026

Daily Mail – Government announces social media ban for under-16s

June 15, 2026

The Telegraph – Labour’s spyware plan for phones is straight out of North Korea

June 11, 2026

The Times – Government to force tech companies to restrict phones

June 4, 2026

BBC – Instagram removes message encryption

May 8, 2026

The Spectator – A social media ban for kids puts all our privacy at risk

April 27, 2026

Go to media

FREE SPEECH TOOLKIT

STOP FACIAL RECOGNITION FLYER

STOP AND SEARCH BUST CARD

5 UK protest movements that shaped history

5. Chartist movement

The Chartist movement was the first mass British working class movement after the Reform Act 1832 failed to extend voting rights to non-property owners.

The Chartists demanded political rights and influence for working class men. The movement had a lasting impact – influencing the passing of the Reform Act 1867 & the Reform Act 1884.

4. The Suffragette movement

The women’s suffragette movement is one of the most consequential acts of free speech. Notably, the meeting organised by the Manchester National Society for Women’s Suffrage was a landmark moment for women standing up for their rights in public.

Women over 30 won the right to vote in 1918 and the Representation of the People Act 1928 gave all people over 31 equal voting rights

3. Bristol Bus Boycott

In 1963, a group of civil liberties campaigners boycotted the Bristol Omnibus Company for placing a ban on Black and Asian bus crew. The company backed down after four months of boycotts.

The radical act of free expression is believed to have influenced the passing of the Race Relations Acts 1965 and 1968 which made racial discrimination unlawful in public places.

2. NO2ID

Britons have fought mandatory ID cards since wartime IDs in the 1950s. A London dry cleaner refused to show police his ID simply saying “I’m against this sort of thing”. In 1951, when his case reached the High Court, he was given an absolute discharge.

In 2004, when Labour’s Identity Cards Bill was introduced, a hugely successful campaign was launched and the Coalition Government binned Blair’s ID cards in 2010.

1. Stop Covid passes

In 2021, Boris Johnson proposed to introduce divisive and discriminatory Covid passes. There was national outrage against this and we ran one of our most successful campaigns.

We organised demonstrations and boycotts of companies that introduced mandatory Covid passes. The deeply unpopular policy saw the biggest rebellion of his entire premiership and was swiftly scrapped.

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