Wikipedia has lost a legal challenge to new Online Safety Act rules which it says could threaten the human rights and safety of its volunteer editors. The Wikimedia Foundation - the non-profit which supports the online encyclopaedia - wanted a judicial review of regulations which could mean Wikipedia has to verify the identities of its users.

The ruling "does not give Ofcom and the secretary of state a green light to implement a regime that would significantly impede Wikipedia’s operations."

The Wikimedia Foundation has lost its legal challenge against the Online Safety Act, but it may still be on the right track to resist new rules.