Why This Exists

The United Kingdom has quietly become one of the most aggressive surveilleurs of online speech in the democratic world. Speakers' Corner Online was built as a response — a place where residents can talk freely, privately, and without fear, using infrastructure that cannot be monitored or compelled to hand over your conversations.

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The Online Safety Act

The Online Safety Act 2023 granted Ofcom sweeping powers to demand that platforms scan private messages for illegal content — a power that, by technical necessity, requires breaking end-to-end encryption. Put simply: if a platform must be able to read your messages to check them, your messages are no longer private.

The Act also imposes broad "duty of care" obligations that incentivise platforms to over-censor legal speech to avoid regulatory liability. The practical result is that mainstream platforms increasingly remove or restrict content that is perfectly lawful — not because it breaks any law, but because it is cheaper than arguing with a regulator.

Signal, WhatsApp and others have threatened to leave the UK market rather than comply with backdoor requirements. SimpleX's architecture makes compliance technically impossible — there is no central server holding your keys and no company that can be served a disclosure order for your messages.

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How It Works

This directory lists community groups and channels that have been submitted by their owners. Anyone with the SimpleX app can browse, discover, and join with a single tap — no registration, email address, or phone number required.

Download the SimpleX app for Android, iOS, or desktop.
Browse the directory — filter by most active, newest, or search by keyword.
Tap a community card — your SimpleX app opens and connects you instantly.
Submit your own group or channel by joining the directory bot and following the prompts.

Your identity on SimpleX is a random key — there is no central account. Each conversation uses a separate pair of queues, so no one can correlate your activity across communities.

The Recommended Setup

The UK's Digital Identity framework is building infrastructure to tie online activity to verified real identities. For those who want full independence from that trajectory, this is the stack:

GrapheneOS

grapheneos.org — a hardened Android for Pixel phones that strips out Google's tracking layer. Your device stops reporting your location and usage to third parties.

SimpleX Chat

Install from simplex.chat or F-Droid. No phone number, no account — your identity is a cryptographic key that never leaves your device.

Speakers' Corner Online

Scan the QR code on the directory page to connect. Browse groups and channels, join what interests you, say what you think.

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Directory Rules

To keep the directory useful and trustworthy, all listed communities must follow these rules. Violations may result in removal without notice.

Accurate descriptions Group names, descriptions and welcome messages must honestly represent the community's purpose and content.
No CSAM or exploitation of minors Any content involving the sexual exploitation of children is strictly prohibited and will be referred to the relevant authorities immediately.
No targeted harassment Groups whose primary purpose is to harass, threaten, or dox specific individuals are not permitted.
No malware, phishing, or scams Communities distributing viruses, phishing links, or financial scams will be delisted immediately.
Adult content must be labelled Communities containing adult or explicit material must clearly indicate this in their description so users can make an informed choice.
No spam Groups that exist solely to flood members with unsolicited commercial messages will be removed.

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Community Behaviour & Policy

Speakers' Corner Online is built on the principle that open, honest conversation makes communities stronger. We encourage debate, disagreement, and diverse viewpoints — but expect members to uphold a basic standard of conduct.

Argue the idea, not the person Critique opinions robustly — but direct personal abuse, slurs, or sustained aggression toward individuals is not acceptable.
Respect community admins Each group sets its own rules and tone. Follow the admin's guidance; if you disagree with a community's rules, leave rather than disrupting it.
No impersonation Do not impersonate other people, public figures, or organisations in a way intended to deceive.
Privacy matters Do not share another person's private information (address, phone number, real name) without their explicit consent.
Coordinate in good faith Using the directory to recruit members for coordinated off-platform harassment or manipulation campaigns is prohibited.

We believe in free expression and will not remove communities simply because their views are unpopular or controversial. The line is drawn at content that causes direct harm or exists solely to abuse others.

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Reporting & Contact

If you believe a listed community violates these rules, connect to the directory bot and send a report with the community name and a brief description of the issue. We review reports manually and aim to respond within 48 hours.

To submit your group or channel for listing, join the directory using the QR code or link on the main page and follow the bot's instructions.