*/
The winning essay is ‘Invisible Violence: Restoring the Sight of the Online Safety Act 2023’ by Wasim Iqbal
Brief summary
The Online Safety Act 2023 aims to make the UK ‘the safest place to be online’, yet allows platforms to rely heavily on AI moderation systems to meet their statutory duties. This risks leaving serious harm unrecognised and regulatory enforcement weakened or delayed.
How and why did you pick this topic?
I was struck by the growing reliance on automated systems to assess online harm, without clear visibility over how those decisions are reached.
When the law depends on processes it cannot properly scrutinise, accountability begins to erode. I wanted to examine how this gap arises within the Online Safety Act 2023, and whether greater transparency could be introduced without undermining the Act’s objectives.
The proposal ultimately focused on a simple question with far-reaching consequences: how can the law regulate harm it cannot see?
The full essay is reproduced below.
Wasim Iqbal is the winner of the Bar Council's Law Reform Essay Competition 2025.
Brief summary
The Online Safety Act 2023 aims to make the UK ‘the safest place to be online’, yet allows platforms to rely heavily on AI moderation systems to meet their statutory duties. This risks leaving serious harm unrecognised and regulatory enforcement weakened or delayed.
How and why did you pick this topic?
I was struck by the growing reliance on automated systems to assess online harm, without clear visibility over how those decisions are reached.
When the law depends on processes it cannot properly scrutinise, accountability begins to erode. I wanted to examine how this gap arises within the Online Safety Act 2023, and whether greater transparency could be introduced without undermining the Act’s objectives.
The proposal ultimately focused on a simple question with far-reaching consequences: how can the law regulate harm it cannot see?
The full essay is reproduced below.
The winning essay is ‘Invisible Violence: Restoring the Sight of the Online Safety Act 2023’ by Wasim Iqbal
Update from the Chair of the Bar
By David Green
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, examines the forensic science underpinning hair drug testing, its evidential scope and limitations, and why it remains the gold standard for evidencing patterns of drug use in family proceedings
Unlocking your aged debt to fund your tax in one easy step. By Philip N Bristow
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, discusses the upcoming changes to pensions and Inheritance Tax and the potential impact on your financial future
Save the Children UK is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
The Chief Legal Officer to the Metropolitan Police, barrister Brett Welch, tells Anthony Inglese CB about his mission and the work to turn the Met around
Barrister apprenticeships – shortly to provide the fourth pathway to the Bar – are an ideal opportunity to support local talent and ‘grow your own’, say Tim Coulson and Dr Jane Dennehy
Born from a grievance, their research project grew into a book and is now challenging the status quo. Emma Price and Emma-Louise Fenelon reveal the key findings – and the critical next steps
Grok around and find out – or not? Mariya Peykova investigates the nudification scandal, what the law has to say about sexually explicit deepfakes, and whether stronger regulation is needed
Oliver Lewis spotlights an overlooked yet rapidly evolving area of law – coercive and controlling behaviour within care contexts
