Age verification is creating an information desert.

The Online Safety Act sets every UK user to child as default.

Teenagers? Blocked. Adults? Content denied unless we do age checks with unregulated companies.

It's not just porn! News on Gaza and Ukraine is being scrubbed from view, threatening #freedomofexpression as well as #privacy ⛔

https://www.404media.co/uk-users-need-to-post-selfie-or-photo-id-to-view-reddits-r-israelcrimes-r-ukrainewarfootage/

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #OSA #palestine #gaza #ukraine #reddit #ageverification #ageassurance #censorship #ukpolitics #ukpol

Musing on various posts, blog posts, and news reports about the #OnlineSafetyAct recently.

* it is incorrect that "no-one was talking about this until this month". Some of us - not many, for sure, but still - have been working on this for quite some time, and trying to help people get to grips with it.

* it is unhelpful to blame people for not knowing about it until recently. People have busy lives, and there is a lot going on right now. People had no reason to think that they might need to check for a significant new regulatory imposition on their tiny server.

* no, it is not just about porn. Porn might be behind recent publicity, but porn is one facet of the Act.

* it is not all Ofcom's fault. Parliament carries a lot of responsibility here, and fixes entail changing the law.

Torys: *pass the online safety act*

Labour: If you oppose this legislation you are an extreme porn loving pedo

Reform: This is a bit shit isn’t it. We should repeal it

Labour: *frantic pointing at farage* PEDO!!!

Torys: This is a bit shit. Who thought this was a good idea?

#ukPolitics #ukClusterfuck #BusinessAsUsual #OnlineSafetyAct

On #Skynews just now debating about the #onlinesafetyact; there seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding even among former minister that there is any serious kind of free expression protections in the Act.

@openrightsgroup @jim and if you have a problem with this law the Technology Minister will call you a 'paedo'

The language of the Playground, how apt.

#OnlineSafetyAct #PeterKyle #UKPOL #UKPOLITICS

The Technology Minister Peter Kyle, who really likes AI and let's it arrange his life for him, believes everyone who has a problem with this shitty new law is 'Jimmy Savile'

It's a spectacular win they're handing Nigel Farage, isn't it?

#Labour #PeterKyle #JimmySavile #NigelFarage #Farage #OnlineSafetyAct

It's not just Farage he labelled as a Peado, I mean who cares about that fash wanker, it's the fact he was implying ANYBODY who has a problem with this shitty law is a Peado....

https://news.sky.com/story/politics-latest-starmer-labour-badenoch-reshuffle-farage-12593360

#NigelFarage #PeterKyle #OnlineSafetyAct #Porn #UKPOL #UKPOLITICS

The state of British Politics today.

Don't fix the Climate, don't stand up to Fascism, just ban Porn and call everyone a Paedo, then the only response we're allowed is from a Racist who is just jumping on this issue for votes.

No serious debate, no adults in the room, just liars, frauds, bigots and grifters.

Remember, it's not just Farage he's calling a Peado, it's you and me too, anybody that likes Porn. We're all evil....

#OnlineSafetyAct #PeterKyle #NigelFarage #Labour

Alt...

Top minister refuses to apologise and doubles down ~~ % on Farage-Savile comment Cabinet minister Peter Kyle has doubled down on his accusation that Nigel Farage is "on the side" of predators, ike the late Jimmy Savile, for his opposition to the Online Safety Act that entered force last week. In case you missed it, Kyle claimed to Wilfred Frost on Sky News Breakfast that Farage's opposition to the Online Safety Act meant he was "on the side" of "extreme pornographers® who target children online. He said: "We have people out there who are extreme pornographers, peddling hate, peddling violence. Nigel Farage is on their side. "Make no mistake about it if people like Jimmy Savile were alive today, he'd be perpetrating his crimes online. And Nigel Farage is saying that he's on their side” After the Reform UK leader demanded an apology from the senior politician for his "disgusting’ comment, Kyle doubled down. He wrote on X: "If you want to overturn the Online Safety Act you are on the side of predators. It is as simple as that" In response to that post, Farage wrote: "If this act is to protect children, why are you setting up an elite police unit to monitor comments on asylum hotels?" This is a reference to reports that a special team of police officers is monitoring social media to spot early signs that civil unrest could be developing

Instead of putting smutty mags on the top shelf and in plain wrappings, the #OnlineSafetyAct is the equivalent of locking every adult out of the shop just in case they want one.

Oh yes, and anyone who might voice an opinion the English government of corrupt Stalinists doesn't like is now safely blocked from the shop too.

Lights are going out across the Net for UK users.

Age verification is driving sites to shut down, geo-block the UK or restrict features and content.

In trying to tackle to worst of the Net, it's harming the best.

🗣️ ORG Exec Director, @jim

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #OSA #ageverification #ageassurance #freedomofexpression #digitalrights #censorship #ukpol #ukpolitics

I'm thinking and planning on advocating for the Fediverse a lot more due to the UK Online Safety Act. I think it might be best to write it all down as a part not only some flyers that I can get printed and hand out to many people.

This will come with a page on my company website to showcase and explain further why & how they can join the Fediverse.

#Fediverse #OnlineSafetyAct #UKGov #UKOnlineSafetyAct #UKVerify #IDVerify

For ORG's 20th birthday, we've partnered with NordVPN to offer a special gift for new members 🎁

20 people who join ORG this summer will get a one year NordVPN subscription of their choice! That's privacy in the palm of your hands.

Join ORG today ⬇️

https://www.openrightsgroup.org/join/

#VPN #privacy #onlinesafety #ORG20 #onlinesafetyact #digitalrights

Alt...

Become an ORG Member – Join now to bag 1 of 20 free NordVPN subscriptions

@nixCraft Especially so if you live in the UK! If you live in #UK you are now at a significantly increased risk of these #phishing attacks, mostly thanks to the British government and it's #onlinesafetyact

So #reddit now require #ageverification and your birthdate for watching #aljazeera

#onlinesafetyact
https://www.reddit.com/r/AlJazeera/

Stand and deliver. Your data or your rights!

The UK Online Safety Act has created new opportunities for cyber criminals to scam and exploit people by building its house on sand.

The age assurance industry must be regulated now!

Sign our open letter ⬇️

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/sign-open-letter-dsit-regulating-age-assurance

#onlinesafetyact #onlinesafety #ageverification #ageassurance #privacy #dataprotection #ukpolitics #ukpol #agegating #censorship

It’s not just that UK users have to face age verification checks with multiple uncertified providers.

People are being forced to open up accounts on the particular platform they’re trying to access at the same time.

The UK Online Safety Act has stimulated a data mining industry for the benefit of commercial interests.

#onlinesafetyact #onlinesafety #ageverification #ageassurance #privacy #dataprotection #ukpolitics #ukpol #agegating #censorship

The UK Online Safety Act has ushered in a market for age verification without regulating the industry 🤷‍♂️

Millions of UK users have to trade their sensitive data to access information or support that’s deemed ‘harmful’.

We compromise our digital rights with no regulatory standards for privacy or security.

#onlinesafetyact #onlinesafety #ageverification #ageassurance #privacy #dataprotection #ukpolitics #ukpol #agegating #censorship

An age wall has gone up online in the UK!

Chunks of the Internet are blotted out as ‘harmful’, not just porn.

That is unless we surrender our privacy to any number of unregulated age verification providers.

ORG’s @JamesBaker took part in the BBC Debate ⬇️

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-bfe8d0c8-c977-483c-a074-c15fafb654e8

#onlinesafetyact #onlinesafety #ageverification #ageassurance #privacy #dataprotection #ukpolitics #ukpol #agegating #censorship

Finally Finished the PDF for the UK Online Safety act and why Fandoms like the Thomas The Tank Engine one should join the Fedverse.

Give it a read, love little bits of feedback and feel free to share this just give me credit where you can.

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGuTUqsh_g/i7ZOqH2crDqa9BCkVISncQ/view?utm_content=DAGuTUqsh_g&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=h00b725e523

#TTTE #ThomasTheTankEngine #Fandom #Fandoms #OnlineSafetyAct #UKGov #UKOnlineSafetyAct #IDVerify #Fediverse #SelfHosting

@neil This is a circular argument, surely? Sites that host legal content which falls under the scope of the #OnlineSafetyAct and which use geoblocking are tacitly encouraging use of VPNs to get around age checks and the content is therefore illegal.

So we finally see the real reason for the #OnlineSafetyAct - censorship and finally creating a use case for the hordes of dodgy LLMs.

> The government has also told the BBC it would be illegal for platforms to [host, share or permit content that encourages use of VPNs to get around age checks.]

I wonder what offence(s) who said this had in mind?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn72ydj70g5o

#OnlineSafetyAct

“In trying to ‘protect’ [children], we risk pushing them toward greater danger.”

Inevitably people will try to bypass age verification checks for UK users.

Young people "may inadvertently expose themselves to greater online harms." They'll be exposed to dodgy sites, malware and creeps in less moderated spaces. How is that safe?

🗣️ ORG's @JamesBaker.

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/porn-age-verification-check-advice-parents_uk_6881ea8de4b0d55a3f196462

#ageverification #onlinesafetyact #onlinesafety #privacy #ukpolitics #ukpol #ageassurance

The petition to repeal the #onlinesafetyact has now passed 310,000 signatures, making it the third largest petition so far this Parliament.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/722903

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions?state=all

Currently writing up a PDF on why I think the TTTE Fandom should move over to the Fediverse as well as I will change it to work with most Fandoms in the future.

#TTTE #Fandom #OnlineSafetyAct

Making Bracelets are now illegal in the UK

Website: https://kandipatterns.com/

#UKGov #OnlineSafetyAct #UKOnlineSafetyAct #UKVerify #IDVerify

Alt...

If you live in the United Kingdom, this block is the result of new legislation which leaves us temporarily unable to operate in the UK due to the risk of fines. We are required to comply with a long list of demands, some of which are too expensive or complicated to implement for such a small website so we have been left with no choice but to block UK users.

How many hundreds of thousands of UK citizens are now having all their internet traffic inspected and monetised by Christ-knows who?

We warned government and Ofcom about this and they ignored us.

They need to face the reality of this, and the consequences.

Tell your MP about this today. https://writetothem.com

#OnlineSafetyAct

ProtonVPN has overtaken Yoti (an age verification app) on the Apple App Store free apps chart to move into first place.

Apps at ranks 4, 5 and 6 are all VPNs.

4 and 5 are absolutely sketchy no-name VPNs from “Mobile Jump Pte” and “Free VPN LLC.”

This is fine.

#OnlineSafetyAct

Alt...

1 ProtonVPN 2 Yoti 3 ChatGPT

Alt...

4 is some sketchy VPN app 5 is NordVPN 6 is another sketchy VPN

At a cafe today, saw/heard a group of teenagers using the wifi. One of them obviously went to a site with new OSA age challenge; after brief (mild) profanity, consensus of group was just to log in using parent's photo (already on phone) & date of birth. Total delay, not more than a couple of minutes, including craic among the group.
#Anecdata #OnlineSafetyAct #NotFitForPurpose

#OnlineSafetyAct #KeithSez #UK

https://piefed.social/post/1078583

The petition against the online safety act is hitting 170k. I’ve not seen a petition reach such numbers in a long time. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/722903 I would encourage people to also sign up and support campaigns working on this issue > https://www.openrightsgroup.org/join/ #onlinesafetyact #privacy

A website getting hacked and losing 13,000 “verification photos and images of government IDs” in the same week the age verification nonsense comes into force for the #OnlineSafetyAct is fitting. Because that’s what we will see a whole lot more of… to protect the children.

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/tea-app-hacked-13000-photos-leaked-4chan-call-action-rcna221139

With the UK Government cracking down on things, I really do want to just leave the few socials I do use for Personal use (not this), it all just needs verification and I've been using them for years.

#UKGov #OnlineSafetyAct #UKOnlineSafetyAct

Now that the Online Safety Act is being felt, who has/plans to…

#onlineSafetyAct #AskFedi

You can also sign the letter demanding #ageverification is properly regulated under the #onlinesafetyact

This is seriously dumb, that this is missing, and that the #ICO is making no serious sign of regulating AV providers.

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/sign-open-letter-dsit-regulating-age-assurance

I have a question for the great UK legal minds of the Fediverse...

Does Yammer count as a regulated user-to-user service under the Online Safety Act?

The 'provider' of Yammer in my mind is Microsoft, which means it doesn't appear to be exempt as an 'internal service' under Schedule 1. Am I interpreting that wrong, or is this a potential risk for pretty much all users of O365 in the UK now?

#OnlineSafetyAct #uklaw

Meanwhile the petition to repeal the #onlinesafetyact is creeping up in numbers, now at 71,000

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/722903

Repeal might be unrealistic, but rewrite severely is absolutely necessary. [1/several]

Reminder that if you come across sites that are geoblocking the UK thanks to the #onlinesafetyact please let us know here

Also thank you @neil for getting this transparency project for OSA site removals going!
https://www.blocked.org.uk/osa-blocks

Is the implementation of the UK #onlinesafetyact tomorrow going to go smoothly, or will it be a complete car crash? '#hivemind