We call on the UK Government to release an official, detailed breakdown of arrests made under the Communications Act 2003, Malicious Communications Act 1988, and the Online Safety Act 2023. This should categorize arrests by offence type—such as threats of violence, harassment, cyberflashing, revenge porn, hate speech, and subjective offensiveness—to ensure transparency and prevent the spread of misinformation.

The widely reported figure of over 12,000 arrests for “offensive” or “threatening” online posts in 2023 is being weaponized to push false narratives that the UK is criminalizing free speech for “hurting feelings.” Without a clear breakdown of which arrests involve serious criminal behaviour (e.g., threats, harassment, image abuse) and which involve subjective interpretation, the public is left with misleading data that undermines trust in both the legal system and online safety initiatives.

Detailed statistics are essential for informed public debate and to prevent disinformation campaigns, including those run by foreign troll farms seeking to erode trust in democratic institutions.

Transparency is not censorship. It is a necessary safeguard for both free speech and the protection of victims of online abuse.