This chapter analyses the political and ideological factors shaping the UK’s Online Safety Act 2023, presenting it as a case study of the rhetorical and legislative landscape around child online safety. Tracing the act’s development from early policy discussions, the chapter critiques a “duty of care” model that centres on platform liability, emphasizing an ideological stance that seeks to control tech industry practices. The chapter examines the growing trend of “platform scapegoating”, where complex societal issues like child safety are attributed largely to digital platforms, sidelining other influential factors. By contextualizing the Act within broader international policies such as Australia’s Online Safety Act 2023 and the EU’s Digital Services Act, the text explores the global convergence towards a regulatory stance prioritizing punitive measures over multi-stakeholder involvement. Through an analysis of the path-dependent and isomorphic tendencies in policy making, this chapter reveals how the UK’s legislative approach to online safety, driven by political rhetoric and platform liability, overlooks the nuanced needs of young people and effective harm reduction strategies.