Wikipedia renews calls for UK online safety rethink despite categorization reprieve
( July 10, 2026, 15:42 GMT | Official Statement) -- MLex Summary: Wikimedia Foundation said on Friday it was relieved that Wikipedia had, for now, avoided the UK Online Safety Act’s strictest category. But it warned that regulator Ofcom could reconsider its decision as the encyclopedia remains on an emerging-services list that will be closely monitored. The foundation argued that any future Category 1 designation “remains an existential threat to Wikipedia,” as this could endanger the privacy of its volunteers, and renewed its call for a reassessment of the law’s categorization rules.Statement follows....
Prepare for tomorrow’s regulatory change, today
MLex identifies risk to business wherever it emerges, with specialist reporters across the globe providing exclusive news and deep-dive analysis on the proposals, probes, enforcement actions and rulings that matter to your organization and clients, now and in the longer term.
Know what others in the room don’t, with features including:
- Daily newsletters for Antitrust, M&A, Trade, Data Privacy & Security, Technology, AI and more
- Custom alerts on specific filters including geographies, industries, topics and companies to suit your practice needs
- Predictive analysis from expert journalists across North America, the UK and Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific
- Curated case files bringing together news, analysis and source documents in a single timeline
Experience MLex today with a 14-day free trial.