UK Government Forces Bitchute to Close Down in Britain Due to Online Censorship Laws
- Philip James
- 23 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Bitchute the Youtube rival that favoured free speech over draconian censorship laws has announced that it has had to shut down its video-sharing platform in the UK entirely, for fear that its content falls foul of Britain's new censorship laws.
BitChute has officially withdrawn its services from the United Kingdom, citing 'untenable regulatory conditions under the UK’s recently enacted censorship law; the Online Safety Act.
The move comes in direct response to regulator Ofcom’s newly enhanced powers, which enables the communications regulator to levy fines up to 10% of a company’s total global revenue if deemed non-compliant with the Act’s sweeping censorship demands.
This could mean billions of dollars for every infraction, and it would not take Ofcom long to find any content they didn't approve of. Bitchute was really only started to show the videos that Youtube had banned for similar faux 'safety' concerns, with the platform becoming the place of people to share information about Covid vaccines, climate change, and transgender madness.
BitChute’s decision could serve as the first signal of a broader exodus, with other international platforms potentially following suit to avoid the heavy-handed oversight now codified in British law.
In a detailed public statement posted to its website, BitChute explained the rationale behind the drastic step:
“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 platform highlighted the unpredictable and burdensome nature of the new legal framework, emphasising the Act’s expansive mandates on content moderation and the discretionary powers it grants Ofcom to enforce them. BitChute warned that these provisions create an environment of legal ambiguity, placing platforms at the mercy of vague standards and severe penalties.
“The BitChute platform has always operated on principles of freedom of speech, expression and association…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.”
The company has implemented immediate restrictions: UK residents can still upload content to the platform, but none of their videos will be accessible to other UK-based users. Their content will remain viewable to users in other countries, who can interact with it as usual.
“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.”
This effectively means that while UK-based creators are not entirely barred from participation, their voices are now digitally cordoned off from fellow citizens, a result of legal constraints rather than technical ones, and it is unclear if they would still be able to make revenue from their content, or if the British government will want to confiscate that too.
BitChute expressed regret over the decision, describing it as an unfortunate necessity prompted by the untenable demands of the Online Safety Act. The company reiterated its commitment to providing a space for open dialogue, but not at the cost of exposing itself to disproportionate regulatory risk.
“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.”
Industry insiders are warning that this is only the first in what will be a mass exodus from the British online space. Ofcom threatens multi-million dollar fines for any social media site who publishes something that goes against the government's far-left agenda. Truth, facts, or just plain opinion are all being clamped down on like ever before in this country.
Gab, Telegram, and Rumble are all now reportedly being scrutinised by Ofcom. Millions of posts and videos are being scanned to find something that falls foul of their leftwing sensibilities. With fines hanging over all social media sites, like the sword of Damocles, expect the rest to go dark any time now.
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