Yesterday I spoke with an American friend re: perspectives on the Online Safety Act as seen from the USA. Broadly I agree, although I think extraterritoriality is a much greater unresolved issue than described. An extract:

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Them: Generally speaking, I think that the probability that a number of people who work for Ofcom will face arrest in the United States is at least as high as the possibility that US tech executives would face arrest at Heathrow.

Them: This mess was avoidable. The reason it all started was because the Biden administration tacitly wanted Britain to enforce censorship on American companies because the US government couldn’t do it itself. Someone didn’t get the memo that there was a change in administration. Even if there hadn’t been a change in administration, there could be civil penalties assessed in a lawsuit. The whole extraterritoriality thing cuts both ways, but the US has a bigger machete.

Me: Mayhap but at least half of it is a bunch of Boomers in the Lords wanting to slap upstart American capitalists

Them: That would’ve been a lot more feasible back in the day when Britain was a major power.

Them: The stupidest part here is that this is all an own goal. If Britain wants to censor foreign content, it can build a great firewall just like all the other tin pot dictatorships. It is the “expecting foreigners to obey British law” part that is going to get Ofcom in trouble.