If Ofcom carries out its threat, this site, Rumble and other sites outside of the UK will have to geoblock the UK, like what Rumble had to do with France.
What is likely to be different in the UK's perspective is the future for VPN's. Labour tried and failed to make VPN's illegal in the Online Safety Act. Labour are now in power and have the numbers to make it finally happen (at least for residential use).
Generally, you need a licence to legally publish media content in the UK.
User generated content online has changed that paradigm and the Government now wishes to revert it because otherwise anyone can become a journalist, photographer or opinion columnist.
I don't think Ofcom or the Government would care. Particularly after their platforming of Russell Brand. If anything, they seem quite intent on declaring the introduction of user generated content a mistake and one to revert promptly. Likely via a national Intranet for the masses regulated, controlled and licensed by the Government. As long as the masses have access to Netflix, live sport, commerce and so forth, they won't protest.
Considering that the UK Parliament is in recess and it's likely that new legislation will come in as a result of this, the heavy handed response now is nothing compared to what is coming from next month. And Starmer has a massive majority to do it with.
Archive: https://archive.ph/dSPMV
Worth noting that the Online Safety Act's real teeth in terms of fines, shut downs and blocking is being moved forward toward the end of this year but is effectively being applied with immediate effect.
User generated content is what they see as the big threat. In the past, it was very difficult for an individual to get their voice heard outside of carefully controlled, licensed and regulated media. Right up until bulletin boards, the Internet and in particular, social media and user generated content gained traction.
Now they want it gone and everything to go back to how things were.
Non-X link: https://nitter.poast.org/disclosetv/status/1821591088530125161
She's the first person to be arrested for posting the incorrect name of the Southport suspect. This arrest will set a very dangerous precedent.
With immediate effect, posting anything that is not by an authoritative, licensed source - and therefore is not considered true by the state - is a violation of false communications legislation.
"Mr Musk, it seems to me, should stick to batteries, cars, and rockets because he's very good at it and leave to the UK authorities the job of dealing with the protection of the safety and security of our communities," Sir Thomas said.
The utter self-aggrandising smugness and superiority being displayed here by the former chief inspector of constabulary regarding Musk's analysis of what he saw and heard with his eyes and his ears demonstrates how much they want full control of the narrative, whether people self-censor or the state intervenes.
As I posted earlier, those in charge legitimately believe that two-tier policing is a far right conspiracy theory and dog whistle.
That'll be the secret court proceedings. The media can still report on it because they tow the approved line. It's self-generated content on social media and independent media they have an issue with but haven't got a strategy for yet other than chest-beating and a few charges for "hatred".
I do wonder if the Lotuseaters time is nearly up though, particularly after platforming Liz Truss?
There is a danger if the UK does request Elon Musk to be extradited (it won't work in my opinion but it won't stop them). Russia will follow suit by demanding the UK extradite critics of Putin to stand trial and the UK won't have a leg to stand on because they set the precedent.
If a YouGov survey is representative, they actually believe Elon Musk is more responsible than virtually everything else. I suspect if people had their way, user generated content online would be abolished, playing right into the Government and legacy media's hands who were never happy about the public having a voice without their gatekeeping and would prefer things to go back to one way communication and a heavily regulated national network.
Another thing to note, three quarters of those polled want indefinite lockdown as a response.
And what is bizarre, while only 19% wanted the Police to use live ammo, the majority of those polled want the Army to do exactly that.
The Uniparty has always detested Musk for not towing the line. Any threats of extradition to him, censoring of X or massive fines are at the moment just chest-beating in the hope of intimidating and silencing Musk. It won't work. But they will want to do anything to punish Musk for daring to speak back to the Government and not bend the knee to them.
At this point, your vocal cords, your tongue and your fingers are offensive weapons. As they produce the consequence of the broadcasting of ideas that can not be extinguished and uncomfortable truths that can not be easily dismissed as disinformation or speculation.
I don't think any attempt to extradite him will succeed, not because of his wealth per se, but because of the complexities and potential fallout involved. This is probably chest-beating by the UK Government in order to intimidate and silence Musk. Robinson however will more than likely go ahead as they see him as the "Bin Laden" of the "far right".
I wouldn't be surprised if Putin uses this for point scoring.