The UK’s Online Safety Act Targets Gab: A Warning for Volk and the Future of Free Speech

As the founder of Volk, a US-based social media platform dedicated to the pro-White community, I’ve been closely watching the UK government’s recent move to target Gab through the Online Safety Act. This legislation, aimed at regulating online content, doesn’t just threaten Gab—it also puts pressure on any American service providers supporting the platform. Having built Volk from the ground up to prioritize free speech, I see this as a stark reminder of the challenges we face in maintaining digital independence, especially as I continue to navigate censorship from major payment processors.

The UK’s Online Safety Act and Its Enforcement

The Online Safety Act, which began enforcing its illegal content duties on March 17, 2025, according to a GOV.UK explainer, gives Ofcom, the UK’s independent regulator of online safety, the power to enforce strict compliance from platforms. The Act demands that platforms protect users from illegal content, maintain transparency about policies on harmful content, and provide effective reporting mechanisms. Failure to comply can lead to serious consequences, including criminal action against senior managers and, in extreme cases, Ofcom seeking court orders to block non-compliant platforms in the UK.

A statement from the British government laid out their approach: “We’re currently assessing people’s compliance with the new laws, and our codes of practice help them do that. But, make no mistake, providers who fail to introduce measures to protect UK users from illegal content can expect to face enforcement action.” The statement also warned that non-compliance could lead to Ofcom requesting British courts to block “payment providers, advertisers, and internet service providers” from working with non-compliant platforms.

This enforcement directly targets Gab, which has refused to comply with what it sees as UK censorship laws. The UK’s strategy seems to hinge on pressuring American service providers to cut ties with Gab, potentially forcing the platform offline in the region.

–

Gab’s Independence Challenges the UK’s Approach

The UK likely assumed Gab relies on external cloud services, as many platforms do. For example, AWS offers a robust global infrastructure with independent Availability Zones and a fully redundant 400 GbE fiber network backbone, as noted on its website. The UK probably hoped to exploit this dependency by pressuring hosting providers to sever ties with Gab, limiting its operations in the region. However, since its deplatforming by major cloud providers in 2018, Gab has operated on its own independent infrastructure, making the UK’s strategy less effective than anticipated. This shift highlights the difficulty regulators face when dealing with platforms that prioritize independence over compliance with censorship mandates.

–

A Global Fight for Free Speech

The UK-Gab conflict reflects a broader tension between governments seeking to control online spaces and platforms that resist such oversight, especially those in the US, where the First Amendment offers strong free speech protections. This situation also aligns with growing scrutiny of tech censorship in the US. On February 20, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission launched an inquiry into how technology platforms deny or degrade users’ access based on their speech or affiliations, calling such censorship “potentially illegal” and “un-American,” according to an FTC press release. This inquiry suggests the US might push back against foreign censorship efforts, which could impact the UK-Gab dispute.

–

Volk’s Perspective: Learning from Gab’s Fight

As the founder of Volk, I launched this platform just a couple of months ago to create a digital space where the pro-White community can connect, promote businesses, and express themselves freely without fear of censorship. From the start, I knew we couldn’t rely on third-party infrastructure that could be weaponized against us. That’s why Volk operates entirely on its own independent infrastructure, a decision that has proven crucial. We face censorship from all the major payment processors, which try to throttle our ability to operate simply because of our commitment to free speech. Building our own systems has allowed us to keep going, but the UK’s actions against Gab show that the threats to platforms like ours are only growing.

The UK’s strategy to pressure American service providers into cutting ties with non-compliant platforms is a tactic I’m all too familiar with. It mirrors how payment processors currently attempt to choke Volk by refusing to process transactions, forcing us to find alternative solutions to keep our community thriving. Gab’s experience reinforces the importance of our choice to remain independent. If we were still reliant on external services like AWS, we’d be vulnerable to the same kind of pressure Gab is now facing from the UK.

This situation is a wake-up call. The UK’s actions could set a precedent that affects platforms like Volk, especially as we continue to grow. While we’re not in the crosshairs yet, I’m using this moment to double down on our commitment to independence. We’ve already built a robust infrastructure to protect our operations, but we’ll need to stay vigilant as governments worldwide grapple with the balance between safety and censorship.

–

Conclusion

The UK’s targeting of Gab under the Online Safety Act is a critical moment in the global debate over free speech and online regulation. Gab’s refusal to comply, backed by its independent infrastructure, exposes the limits of the UK’s enforcement strategy, but the broader implications for American platforms—and free speech protections—are profound. The outcome of this conflict could shape the future of online discourse, especially for platforms that prioritize uncensored expression.

For Volk, this is a reminder of why I built our platform to be self-reliant from day one. As a space dedicated to free expression for the pro-White community, we face ongoing censorship from payment processors, and I know more challenges are likely ahead. Gab’s fight shows that independence is our best defense. In an era where censorship is increasingly a global issue, Volk will continue to stand firm in the struggle for digital freedom.