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Bitchute shuts down in UK because of Online Safety Act

To our valued users in the United Kingdom

After careful review and ongoing evaluation of the regulatory landscape in the United Kingdom, we regret to inform you that BitChute will be discontinuing its video sharing service for UK residents.

The introduction of the UK Online Safety Act of 2023 has brought about significant changes in the regulatory framework governing online content and community interactions. Notably, the Act contains sweeping provisions and onerous corrective measures with respect to content moderation and enforcement. In particular, the broad enforcement powers granted to the regulator of communication services, Ofcom, have raised concerns regarding the open-ended and unpredictable nature of regulatory compliance for our platform.

The BitChute platform has always operated on principles of freedom of speech, expression and association, and strived to foster an open and inclusive environment for content creators and audiences alike. However, the evolving regulatory pressures—including strict enforcement mechanisms and potential liabilities—have created an operational landscape in which continuing to serve the UK market exposes our company to unacceptable legal and compliance risks. Despite our best efforts to navigate these challenges, the uncertainty surrounding the OSA’s enforcement by Ofcom and its far-reaching implications leaves us no viable alternative but to cease normal operations in the UK.

Therefore, effective immediately, BitChute platform users in the UK will no longer be able to view content produced by any other BitChute user. Because the OSA’s primary concern is that members of the public will view content deemed unsafe, however, we will permit UK BitChute users to continue to post content. The significant change will be that this UK user-posted content will not be viewable by any other UK user, but will be visible to other users outside of the UK. Users outside the UK may comment on that content, which the creator will continue to be able to read, delete, block, reply and flag. Users outside the UK may share UK-user produced content to other users outside of the UK as normal. In other words, for users in the UK, including content creators, the BitChute platform is no longer a user-to-UK user video sharing service.

We deeply regret the inconvenience and disappointment this decision may cause to our UK users and partners. This decision was not taken lightly. It reflects our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of compliance, protecting our community, and ensuring that our platform remains a safe and sustainable space for creative expression globally. We recognize the value of our UK community and extend our sincerest apologies for the disruption caused by this necessary step. Our support team remains available to answer any queries or concerns regarding this transition.

We appreciate the support and engagement of our community around the world and remain dedicated to providing a platform that champions free expression and innovative content sharing in an environment of regulatory certainty.

Thank you for your understanding.

April 10, 2025 - Posted by | Civil Liberties, Full Spectrum Dominance | ,

2 Comments »

  1. At age 16, my bad dreams about this coming to pass are here in reality.

    Orwell predicted this transition to totalitarian thought control (((the 1984 “Ministry of Truth”))) that manifests in the UK. “Goldstein” is not the protagonist for freedom of thought—he is the ally and mentor of Big Brother.

    Three years ago I was handing out copies of 1984 and Animal Farm to patients. Time to restock those giveaways.

    Now looking for bumper stickers, buttons, etc., with messages such as “Make Orwell Fiction Again”.

    Liked by 1 person

    rediscover911com's avatar Comment by rediscover911com | April 10, 2025 | Reply

  2. As a European I am used to messages like “This content is not available in your region.”

    Liked by 1 person

    Balthasar Gerards's avatar Comment by Balthasar Gerards | April 11, 2025 | Reply


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