Hi everyone, I hope those of you who were at Wikimania (more on that soon!) are either enjoying time off in Kenya or almost done with a safe journey home. For now, I have an important update about WMF's legal challenge in the UK.
On Monday, 11 August, the High Court of Justice dismissed the Wikimedia Foundation's challenge to the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA) <https://diff.wikimedia.org/2025/08/11/wikimedia-foundation-challenges-uk-online-safety-act-regulations/> Categorisation Regulations. While the decision does not provide the immediate legal protections for Wikipedia that we hoped for, the Court’s ruling emphasized the responsibility of Ofcom <https://www.ofcom.org.uk/>and the UK government to ensure Wikipedia is protected as the OSA is implemented. The judge recognized the "significant value" of Wikipedia, its safety for users, as well as the damages that wrongly-assigned OSA categorisations and duties could have on the human rights of Wikipedia's volunteer contributors. The Court stressed that this ruling "does not give Ofcom and the Secretary of State a green light to implement a regime that would significantly impede Wikipedia's operations", and indicated they could face legal repercussions if they fail to protect Wikipedia and the rights of its users. In order to achieve that outcome, he suggested that Ofcom may need to find a particularly flexible interpretation of the rules in question, or that the rules themselves may need amendment in Parliament. If the ruling stands, the first categorization decisions from Ofcom are expected this summer. The Foundation will continue to seek solutions to protect Wikipedia and the rights of its users as the OSA continues to be implemented. Please don't hesitate to reach out with questions. Best wishes, Ziski Franziska Putz (she/her) Senior Movement Advocacy Manager Global Advocacy, Wikimedia Foundation [email protected] UTC Timezone
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