The UK’s move to enforce its Online Safety Act against 4Chan, Gab, and Kiwi Farms is more than a legal battle—it is a pivotal test of whether democracies can uphold digital sovereignty...

Unchecked Extremism Online: Why the UK’s Regulation of 4Chan, Gab, and Kiwi Farms Matters

by ChatGPT-4o

In August 2025, UK regulator Ofcom took decisive action under the Online Safety Act (OSA) to curb the influence of three of the most notorious extremist platforms on the internet: 4Chan, Gab, and Kiwi Farms. These platforms, long known as breeding grounds for racism, misogyny, harassment, and real-world violence, now find themselves at the center of a transatlantic legal and political showdown. Rather than comply with UK safety rules, they’ve sought help from the Trump administration to resist what they frame as an attack on “free speech.” The outcome of this case could define how far sovereign governments can go to protect their citizens in an increasingly borderless internet.

The Dark Legacy of 4Chan, Gab, and Kiwi Farms

🔹 4Chan

Originally an anonymous message board for anime enthusiasts, 4Chan has since become synonymous with online radicalization. The /pol/ board, in particular, has served as a gathering place for far-right trolls, neo-Nazis, and conspiracy theorists. It played a foundational role in:

• Spawning the Gamergate harassment campaign (2014)

• Amplifying QAnon conspiracy theories

• Hosting manifestos of mass shooters, including the Christchurch and Buffalo attackers

• Spreading illegal content and doxxing campaigns

🔹 Gab

Gab markets itself as a "free speech" alternative to mainstream platforms—but in practice, it's a haven for white supremacists and antisemites. After the Pittsburgh synagogue shooter used Gab to announce his attack in 2018, Microsoft threatened to deplatform it for violating hate speech rules. Despite public scrutiny, Gab has refused to moderate racist or extremist content, pushing it further to the fringes.

🔹 Kiwi Farms

Perhaps the most insidious of the three, Kiwi Farms is infamous for targeting vulnerable individuals—especially transgender people and neurodivergent individuals—with coordinated harassment. These campaigns have led to multiple suicides. It has become emblematic of how online hate, when left unchecked, can have devastating real-world consequences. Cloudflare and other infrastructure providers previously severed ties with Kiwi Farms due to pressure from civil rights groups.

Why the UK Act Matters — and Why These Platforms Fear It

The Online Safety Act (OSA) requires platforms to:

• Conduct risk assessments on user harm

• Verify user ages before granting access to adult or harmful content

• Promptly remove illegal content, including hate speech and child exploitation material

In July 2025, Ofcom served 4Chan, Gab, and Kiwi Farms with violation notices, exposing them to £18 million fines or 10% of their global revenue, whichever is higher. Rather than comply, these platforms retained Preston Byrne, a First Amendment lawyer known for defending right-wing tech firms like Parler. Byrne’s legal strategy? Suing Ofcom in U.S. court and calling on the Trump administration to intervene diplomatically.

Weaponizing Free Speech and U.S. Power

Byrne and his clients argue that foreign laws should not restrict American platforms, even when those platforms operate internationally and cause real harm abroad. He’s called on the Trump administration to:

• Use diplomatic pressure to shield U.S. websites from UK regulation

• Treat UK enforcement as an attack on American values

• Possibly retaliate through tariffs or visa restrictions, as already seen in the administration's response to Brazil and Europe

This weaponization of the First Amendment ignores the fact that freedom of speech does not include the freedom to incite violence, nor should it exempt platforms from respecting other countries’ laws and norms.

The Risks of Inaction: What Happens If These Platforms Go Unchecked

Allowing platforms like 4Chan, Gab, and Kiwi Farms to operate without constraint risks the following outcomes:

1. Real-World Harm

Unchecked speech on these platforms has already led to murders, suicides, and terrorism. Without regulation, these tragedies will continue.

2. Democratic Erosion

Hate speech, disinformation, and radicalization contribute to the undermining of democratic institutions. These platforms create echo chambers that drive extremism and delegitimize elections, media, and science.

3. Normalization of Harassment

By refusing to moderate content, these platforms create a climate where harassment is normalized, targeting minorities, journalists, and activists.

4. Jurisdictional Chaos

If the U.S. shields its platforms from foreign accountability, it sets a precedent for legal impunity. The internet becomes a regulatory Wild West where bad actors hide behind borders.

5. Blow to Global Safety Standards

A U.S.-led backlash against Europe’s Digital Services Act (DSA) and UK’s OSA could torpedo coordinated international efforts to make the internet safer.

Recommendations for Other Countries

As the UK leads with the OSA, other nations must follow suit—but also learn from potential challenges:

✅ 1. Enact Similar Safety Legislation

• Implement platform accountability for user harm, content moderation, and age-gating.

• Follow models like the UK OSA and EU DSA.

✅ 2. Ensure Cross-Border Enforcement

• Forge international agreements (MLATs or digital safety pacts) to enforce fines and penalties across borders.

• Target payment processors, DNS providers, and CDNs when sites ignore local laws.

✅ 3. Sanction Platforms That Refuse Compliance

• Deny access to markets or infrastructure support.

• Implement ISP-level blocking if necessary, especially when platforms harbor extremism.

✅ 4. Build Coalitions

• Like-minded democracies should create a Global Alliance for Online Safety to pool enforcement, standards, and best practices.

✅ 5. Counter "Free Speech Absolutism"

• Educate policymakers that free speech does not mean freedom from accountability.

• Highlight case studies where online speech has led to real-world harm.

Conclusion

The UK’s move to enforce its Online Safety Act against 4Chan, Gab, and Kiwi Farms is more than a legal battle—it is a pivotal test of whether democracies can uphold digital sovereignty in the face of extremist resistance and U.S.-based techno-nationalism. If other countries fail to act in solidarity, they risk becoming safe havens for hate or collateral victims of America’s ideological battles. In a borderless internet, regulation must be global—and it must be bold.