Rumble, the free-speech video hosting website could be banned in the UK under new online safety laws.
As reported here a couple of days ago, the Online Safety Bill was approved by the House of Lords on the 19th of September but still needs official approval from the King before it can become law. This has not deterred the government from trying to coax platforms such as YouTube, to ban Russell Brand due to allegations of historical abuse.
Again as we reported last week, while YouTube dutifully obeyed, Rumble stayed true to their mission and responded “Although it may be politically and socially easier to join the cancel culture mob, doing so would be a violation of our companies values and mission. and finished with “We emphatically reject the UK Parliament’s demands.”
Unfortunately, now “experts” have said that Rumble, which hosts Russell Brand, could be blocked in the UK because of the Online Safety Bill.
According to The Times: “Rumble, a video-sharing platform based in North America, has become home to Brand and other figures with extreme views, including Andrew Tate and Alex Jones, the conspiracy theorist.“
It also hosts extreme videos on race and antisemitism that mainstream platforms such as YouTube have made more of an effort to take down.
Rumble has been thrust into the spotlight after Brand used it to declare his innocence of sexual assault claims.
Under the Online Safety Bill, which is due to become law next month, Rumble will be regulated by Ofcom because it is accessible in the UK.
Brand has recognised the impact the new law could have. In a statement on Friday, he said: “The British government has asked big tech platforms to censor our online content. [This] bill . . . is a piece of UK legislation that grants sweeping surveillance and censorship powers.”
Under the new law, Rumble will have to prevent children from seeing pornography and material that promotes self-harm, suicide, or eating disorders. Violent content and material harmful to health, such as vaccine misinformation, will also have to be kept from children.
Ofcom will also draw up new guidelines on violence against women and girls that will have to be adhered to.
Rumble will also have to take down material that is illegal, such as videos that incite violence or race hate.
All these obligations will be hard for Rumble’s management to stomach, according to Lord Allan of Hallam, a former Facebook executive who has advised on the bill.
1 comment:
For Freedoms to be in such peril means billions of folks need to speak up, out, and oust the ones acting like control freaks, in my opinion!
This is Orwellian for sure, how pathetic, right?
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