Every Company that implemented any compliance is a traitor to the free internet and should be treated as such.
While the law would not be toppled tomorrow, the companies of the internet need to stop being so desperate for small scraps of money and eyeballs.
The internet might be free if companies instead of trying to skirt laws and regulations just operated where they are welcome. Good for the internet but bad for the VCs so it wont happen.
A UK internet blockade might just get this going.
It is known colloquially as "Pulling up the ladder behind you".
But of course Meta carved out their own exception in the law, so this law benefits Meta at the cost of alternatives.
It's like the government thought long and hard about how to make the restrictions the most inconvenient and with the largest number of gaps in the approach.
Cutting off UK for a few weeks won't cause that much damage but might help them in the long run.
What would be the punishment for that?
On a legal level? None. On a personal level? Don't give them money or your business. Avoid them completely or ensure you use ad blockers on their sites and throw away accounts if necessary. Do not contribute to their content.
In short: you take whatever they give you, and you give nothing in return.
Companies can be fined £18 million pounds or 10% of revenue, whichever is greater. If you feel like being the first test case, be my guest.