Initial thoughts on the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Bill

There’s nothing like waking up to find people telling me about proposed new legislation which, if passed, would geoblock people in the UK from so many online services, end numerous services in the UK, and criminalise myriad people in the UK. Today’s proposal is the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Bill. The gist of the proposal is that anyone who “operate[s] a social media platform that is available to users in the United Kingdom” commits a criminal offence unless that obtain a licence from Ofcom, and comply with the terms of that licence. Is it a private members bill, and is unlikely to pass - more a declaration of intent than a serious attempt at legislating - so there is a risk that, in responding to it as a serious proposal, one gives it more credibility than it deserves. Nevertheless, here are three quick, pre-breakfast, thoughts, based on the text of the bill here. The objective of the bill is not clear My starting point, in anything like this, is “what is the problem…