Stop Killing the Internet: inside the global movement that wants to save the open web

A new global campaign called Stop Killing the Internet launched on June 16, 2026, one day after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer endorsed a social media ban for under-16s. Backed by digital rights groups including the Open Rights Group and Big Brother Watch, the movement argues that age verification, content scanning, and platform bans threaten privacy and free expression for everyone — and that corporate lobbying, not genuine child safety concerns, is driving these policies worldwide.