At a press conference held at Chequers on September 18, 2025, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the nation’s unwavering commitment to free speech while addressing the need to protect vulnerable individuals, particularly children, from harmful online content. The event marked the conclusion of U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom. Starmer stated, ‘Free speech is one of the founding values of the United Kingdom, and we protect it jealously and fiercely and always will.’ However, he drew a clear line when it comes to content that promotes paedophilia or encourages self-harm, particularly on social media platforms. ‘I’m all for free speech, but I’m also for protecting children from things that will harm them,’ he added. The UK’s Online Safety Law mandates social media companies to remove illegal content, with encouraging self-harm now classified as a criminal offense. While the previous government’s attempt to ban ‘harmful but legal’ content was abandoned due to concerns over free speech restrictions, recent police actions, such as the arrest of Irish comedian Graham Linehan for comments on transgender issues, have sparked debates on the application of existing laws in the digital space. The police defended their actions but acknowledged the challenges in balancing free speech and criminal content moderation.