VPNs are vital for online safety, but they're now in the firing line.

People have turned to them to protect their privacy, rather than splurge their data to unregulated age verification providers following the UK Online Safety Act.

But they have an important role to guard against predators online.

ORG's @JamesBaker explains why we must resist moves to age-gate this tech ⬇️

https://peertube.openrightsgroup.org/w/dmtYyFMktAE4hhdZWYSzH9

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #VPN #ukpolitics #ukpol #cybersecurity #privacy

Now they want age checks on VPNs. Wait till they realise anyone can just set up a VPS abroad and route traffic that way.

Maybe not as user friendly as registering with a VPN provider and no flexibility in what country your traffic appears to come from but very doable.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn438z3ejxyo

#OnlineSafetyAct #OSA

The cybersecurity wrecking ball is turning to VPNs ‼️

It's dangerous to attack a tool that can help to keep adults and children safe online.

Age-gating this tech for UK users would increase cybercrime and put under 18s at a greater risk of predators.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn438z3ejxyo

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #VPN #cybersecurity #privacy #ukpolitics #ukpol

Hot take: allowing VPN users to bypass Online Safety Act (et al) garbage helps break solidarity and manufacture consent. It isn't a flaw of the legislation, it's a feature.

By the time they close the loophole, the Masses™ are used to the new reality and the technologically savvy lack the numbers to mount effective resistance. It's divide and conquer.

#OnlineSafetyAct #Solidarity

The UK issues penalties to parents for taking kids on vacation during school term time, but for some reason never thought to similarly sanction parents who don’t turn on child appropriate content filters (which are more effective) on Internet connections they buy their kids?

Instead the government decide to censor the entire internet.

There are ulterior motives at play. #OnlineSafetyAct

There is (unsurprisingly) no risk analysis here, nor any attempt to comment on the broader implications of requiring VPN providers to verify age.

And, while it is phrased as VPNs, I wonder if the proposal would also include other overlay network technology, such as Tor.

If there were an objective to inhibit or soft-ban anonymous online speech in the UK, this would be a good start.

#OnlineSafetyAct

# Ensure users accessing pornography sites using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are still subject to highly effective age assurance

> This could be achieved by amending the Online Safety Act to bring in an additional provision which would require VPN providers in the UK to put in place Highly Effective Age Assurance to screen underage users and prevent them from accessing pornographic sites

And so it begins. (Page 38)

#OnlineSafetyAct

https://assets.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/wpuploads/2025/08/cc-sex-is-kind-of-broken-now-children-and-pornography.pdf

Ofcom had opened an investigation into an overseas porn site provider for alleged non-compliance with the OSA's age versification rules.

I had missed that, because the provider promised to take steps to fix the situation, Ofcom closed the investigation.

Perhaps some breathing space is available if Ofcom contact leads to behavioural change?

#OnlineSafetyAct

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/protecting-children/investigation-into-whether-score-internet-group-llc-has-failed-to-comply-with-its-duties-under-the-online-safety-act-2023-to-protect-children-from-pornographic-content

Creasy and Haine - fine words but no solution

Leaving aside the fact that as I understand it, Creasy did vote to proscribe #PalestinianAction, and #Haines could not vote - I am sure this just went through The Commons, didn’t #Creasy release it is unworkable. Incidentally, she voted for the #OnlineSafetyAct, so possibly thought is not one of her strong suites.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/aug/18/proscribing-palestine-action-government-protest

Legislate quickly, repent at leisure.

#Proscription #FreedomOfSpeech #Labour #Maladministration

As with Proscription of Palestine Action, Labour are digging down on the OSA - badly formed legislation aimed at the wrong people and I assume intentionally broad to allow further control and censorship bu increasingly authoritarian UK governments.

I predict they will be left well scrambled and a plentitude of Oeuf sur le visage.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/aug/17/rayner-says-farage-failing-young-women-plan-scrap-online-safety-act

#OnlineSafetyAct #Rayner #Labour #Authoritarian #Censorship

I’ve been seeing a lot of traffic with the #chatControl tag lately, not knowing exactly what it was about, but that it was primarily a European thing.

The fabulous @bert_hubert wrote this explainer on it. It’s effectively Europe saying “#onlineSafetyAct? Hold my beer!” 😳

For once, I’m glad we’re out of the EU.

https://berthub.eu/articles/posts/chatcontrol-in-brief/

The UK Online Safety Act is creating an information desert.

Young people in the dark. Adults treated like kids unless they sacrifice privacy. Public debate neutered.

How do you square lowering the voting age to 16 with this lack of trust and widespread censorship?

Write to your MP ⬇️

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/tell-your-mp-online-safety-act-isn%E2%80%99t-working

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #osa #censorship #freespeech #ukpolitics #ukpol #ageverification #freedomofexpression #privacy

"No matter your age, the [UK] Online Safety Act will restrict the content available to you online.”

“Adults are being forced to hand over information to unregulated age verification providers in order to get the uncensored version of social media apps such as X, Reddit and Bluesky.”

🗣️ ORG's Sara Chitseko.

https://theface.com/society/online-safety-act-palestine-young-voters-democracy-uk-politics

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #osa #censorship #freespeech #ukpolitics #ukpol #ageverification #freedomofexpression #privacy

I’ve sent the admin an email to see if they would consider unblocking just the apis needed for federation. I’m not holding out much hope though.

Cc @neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk

> We have been forced to geo-block access from the United Kingdom to the lgbtqia.space services and community.

> This action is a direct result of the UK's Orwellian "Online Safety Act" a piece of legislation that, despite its name, is incredibly dangerous to online privacy and makes the internet absolutely not safe for marginalized communities and the volunteers who run services like this one.

> Our condolences on the loss of freedom of expression.

https://lgbtqia.space/

#OnlineSafetyAct

@neil can also add @thegreenparty spaces forum to the In memoriam page on #OnlineSafetyAct it was forced to close due to rising costs and the new law coming into effect

Treating voters with contempt

An opinion piece, but I think this will resonate with many voters in modern Britain across the four countries. Corporate & Overseas money and the control of social media is leading us into a mushroom factory (fed shit and kept in the dark)

Yes, Palestinian Action is the case here, but it is happening on many fronts, not least the #OnlineSafetyAct.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/aug/11/palestine-action-protest-britain-government

#Voters #Contempt #Beckett #Guardian #Labour

The UK Parliament can't ignore the growing public discontent with the Online Safety Act.

They must do more to protect freedom of expression from the vast and unwieldy provisions that are particularly impacting small sites and services.

Write to your MP ⬇️

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/tell-your-mp-online-safety-act-isn%E2%80%99t-working

#onlinesafetyact #freespeech #freedomofexpression #ukpolitics #ukpol #wikipedia #onlinesafety #osa

The challenge to the UK Online Safety Act by @wikimediafoundation has been dismissed.

BUT there's still some good news for freedom of expression.

The High Court recognised that platforms have a public interest, not just commercial entities. It's clear that Ofcom must be flexible to protect this valuable resource, as well as small websites that can't bear the regulatory burden.

https://wikimediafoundation.org/news/2025/08/11/wikimedia-foundation-challenges-uk-online-safety-act-regulations/

#onlinesafetyact #freespeech #freedomofexpression #ukpolitics #ukpol #wikipedia

Wikipedia host loses challenge to Online Safety Act regs

https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/11/wikimedia_foundation_loses_online_safety/

#OnlineSafetyAct #Wiki #incompetence #Maladministration #Labour #IT

@sarahdalgulls @kiwix hang on. So if it's not "proportionate" to comply with #onlineSafetyAct obligations, you don't have to? That's what the judge said, right?

/cc @neil

"The UK is having a moment. In late July, new rules took effect that require all online services available in the UK to assess whether they host content considered harmful to children, and if so, these services must introduce age checks to prevent children from accessing such content. Online services are also required to change their algorithms and moderation systems to ensure that content defined as harmful, like violent imagery, is not shown to young people.

During the four years that the legislation behind these changes—the Online Safety Act (OSA)—was debated in Parliament, and in the two years since while the UK’s independent, online regulator Ofcom devised the implementing regulations, experts from across civil society repeatedly flagged concerns about the impact of this law on both adults’ and children’s rights. Yet politicians in the UK pushed ahead and enacted one of the most contentious age verification mandates that we’ve seen.

The case of safety online is not solved through technology alone.
No one—no matter their age—should have to hand over their passport or driver’s license just to access legal information and speak freely. As we’ve been saying for many years now, the approach that UK politicians have taken with the Online Safety Act is reckless, short-sighted, and will introduce more harm to the children that it is trying to protect. Here are five reasons why:"

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/blocking-access-harmful-content-will-not-protect-children-online-no-matter-how

#UK #AgeVerification #OSA #OnlineSafetyAct #NannyState

AVPA revisits the ‘VPN fallacy’. Good to see so much detail of what they have in mind. #OnlineSafetyAct https://avpassociation.com/thought-leadership/vpns-are-not-kryptonite-to-age-assurance/

The UK Online Safety Act ransoms your privacy for free speech 🛑

By age gating vaguely defined ‘harmful’ content, UK users face censorship.

It coerces people into coughing up their ID to unregulated age verification providers or scammers.

Write to your MP ⬇️

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/tell-your-mp-online-safety-act-isn%E2%80%99t-working

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #OSA #freespeech #freeexpression #freedomofexpression #ukpolitics #ukpol #privacy #ageverification #agegate #censorship

"Minister, we have a high-rise building tottering on a defectively designed foundation. What should we do?"

"Add another couple of floors, that should fix it."

#OnlineSafetyAct

@Wen #OnlineSafetyAct

UK users are cut adrift from current events by the Online Safety Act.

Platforms must moderate content that’s ‘harmful’.

A term that bursts the banks of porn to submerge news, advice and debate… it’s online censorship.

Tell your MP to FIX it ⬇️

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/tell-your-mp-online-safety-act-isn%E2%80%99t-working

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #OSA #ukpolitics #ukpol #freeexpression #privacy #freespeech #censorship #freedomofexpression #digitalrights

You got Yvette Cooper calling you a Terrorist for being upset at the Genocide and you've got Peter Kyle calling you a Child Rapist for not being down with the Online Safety Act......and people think Labour are going to turn this around before the next election?

Do you Brits have any self worth at all? Is this what we deserve?

#UKPOL #UKPOLITICS #YvetteCooper #PeterKyle #Labour #Genocide #OnlineSafetyAct

Help us monitor #UK #censorship

The Act is already impacting freedom of expression in the UK

You can help us gather evidence of how content is being #censored through our Blocked tool. We’ll compile these examples for a future report on how the Online Safety Act is chilling #FreeSpeech and access to information in the UK.

https://www.blocked.org.uk/osa-blocks

#PoliceState #blocked #ToxicLabour #OnlineSafetyAct #DemocracyNOW #UnitedKingdom #ToxicTories

> Age verification: what’s the harm?

If you have not read @girlonthenet's latest post about the #OnlineSafetyAct , that's your evening sorted.

(G has been on the receiving end of Parliament's attempt at defining "pornographic content", so writes from her own direct experience.)

https://www.girlonthenet.com/blog/age-verification-whats-the-harm/

The Online Safety Act is just in phase 1. Ofcom currently have a 307 page consultation + 17 PDF annexes https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/illegal-and-harmful-content/online-safety-additional-safety-measures of extra proposals. These will expand the duties of anyone providing services and websites under the act . #onlinesafetyact #ofcom #privacy

I had some thoughts about the #UK #OSA: is there some way we can weaponise it against advertisers? Could we somehow say internet ads are only legal if you know the age of the person seeing the ad? Could we make all the advertisers fear that they are not operating legally? Make advertising totally unworkable so the wealthiest companies join the fight against it.

If we are confident advertisers are not in scope, then is there a way to spin that to create a web site like an online forum where all the users are considered “advertisers”. Declare their content to be ads that they are displaying to each other, which don’t need age verification?

Maybe we make it so you have to “pay” some bullshit microcurrency on the forum in order to click “an ad.” And then make sure the bullshit microcurrency is so plentiful and worthless that it never interferes with the use of the site.

#OnlineSafetyAct

Age verification: what’s the harm? - https://www.girlonthenet.com/blog/age-verification-whats-the-harm/ good discussion of a very bad and stupid law, particularly the point about existing parental controls #onlinesafetyact #vpn

Parts of the Internet are going dark for UK users since the Online Safety Act heaped weighty duties on platforms.

Sites are geoblocking the UK, overmoderating content, age-gating access or shutting down completely.

We need your help to track how content is being censored 🫵

Use our tool to report a site that's shutting down or restricting access to UK users as a result of the #OSA.

➡️ https://www.blocked.org.uk/osa-blocks

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #censorship #freespeech #ukpolitics #ukpol

Alt...

'Blocked' in the style of a rubber stamp impression: Report site clocked by the Online Safety Act.

#AgeVerification: what's the harm?

In which I distill a lot of casual pub chats I've had with friends into a layperson's guide to the #OnlineSafetyAct. What it is, the problems it causes, and why you should definitely care.

https://www.girlonthenet.com/blog/age-verification-whats-the-harm/

any #OnlineSafetyAct specialist or site operator who shut down sites want to be on BBC Radio 2 at 1pm today?

I'm unavailable... the show is looking for folk.

Algorithms will hyperactively dredge feeds of what's 'illegal' and 'harmful'.

Both terms are wishy washy in the UK Online Safety Act.

So platforms will over-moderate rather than get hit with penalties for a finger in the air judgement. Censorship is baked into the equation, and that's why the OSA threatens free expression.

Tell your MP to FIX IT ⬇️

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/tell-your-mp-online-safety-act-isn%E2%80%99t-working

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #OSA #freespeech #ukpolitics #ukpol #freeexpression #privacy #agegate #ageverification

“The [UK] Online Safety Act risks silencing a generation."

It's “a fundamental encroachment on the right to freedom of expression to impart and receive information. Older teenagers engaging with political debates or current events may be cut off from vital sources of information because platforms will err on the side of removal to avoid hefty penalties.”

🗣️ ORG's @JamesBaker

https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/2089661/online-safety-law-watchdog

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #OSA #freespeech #ukpolitics #ukpol

Remember, UK Technology Minister Peter Kyle thinks we're all 'peados'

This is the state of British politics right now, the state of UKGOV

#UKPOL #UKPOLITICS #PeterKyle #OnlineSafetyAct #Labour

Alt...

But then, Tech Secretary Peter Kyle deployed the classic authoritarian playbook: dismissing all criticism as support for child predators. This isn’t just intellectually dishonest—it’s a deliberate attempt to shut down legitimate policy debate by smearing critics as complicit in child abuse. It’s particularly galling given that the law Kyle is defending will do absolutely nothing to stop actual predators, who will simply migrate to unregulated platforms or use the same VPNs that law-abiding citizens are now flocking to. Peter Kyle & of \ @peterkyle If you want to overturn the Online Safety Act you are on the side of predators. It is as simple as that.

Remember, the Government who was entertaining the Worlds Most Famous Living Paedo last week is telling us we're all child predators.....

#OnlineSafetyAct #PeterKyle #Labour #UKPOL #UKPOLITICS #Trump #Epstein

Alt...

This is what happens when politicians decide to regulate technology they don’t understand, targeting problems they can’t define, with solutions that don’t work. The UK has managed to create a law so poorly designed that it simultaneously violates privacy, restricts freedom, harms small businesses, and completely fails at its stated goal of protecting children. And all of this was predictable. Hell, it was predicted. Civil society groups, activists, legal experts, all warned of these results and were dismissed by the likes of Peter Kyle as supporting child predators.

The Online Safety Act is a Brexit, a warning to the rest of the World. Once again the UK has done a monstrously stupid thing and is now suffering because of it. Labour or Tory, I cannot tell the difference.

#OnlineSafetyAct #OSA #Brexit #UKPOL #UKPolitics

Alt...

What makes this particularly tragic is that there were genuine alternatives. Real child safety measures— better funding for mental health support, improved education programs, stronger privacy protections that don’t require mass surveillance—were all on the table. Instead, the UK chose the path that maximizes ‘government control while minimizing actual safety. The rest of the world should take note.

New #blog post: Feedback on the #OnlineSafetyAct (a letter to my MP)

Although I don't expect it to really do anything, I decided to email my MP about the ongoing fallout from the online safety act.

This post also takes a very quick look at the veracity of some comments made by the Rt Hon Peter Kyle in relation to the Online Safety Act's effectiveness

https://www.bentasker.co.uk/posts/blog/the-internet/feedback-on-the-online-safety-act.html

> Is Your Public WiFi Legally Compliant?
>
> The UK's new Online Safety Act comes into force in July 2025. Venues providing public WiFi must now implement strict logging, filtering, and user identification measures. Non-compliance could result in fines up to £18 million.

No, they are not. Site providers are in scope, not ISPs. (There is no legal or regulatory requirement in the UK for ISPs or public Wi-Fi providers to filter, although many do.)

But hey, product to shift.

https://www.guestmetrics.co.uk/

#OnlineSafetyAct

"The UK government has insisted that users following the steps now required by providers to prove their age "won't be compromising their privacy.""

Dear UKGov,

My #privacy includes the following: my age, my appearance, my email address, etc.

You just don't get it, do you?

#OnlineSafetyAct

https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/04/millions_of_age_checks_performed/?td=rt-3a

The UK Online Safety Act requires platforms to assess and moderate 'illegal' content.

This mixed with the UK’s vague definition of terrorism could lead to content being wrongly flagged and removed.

This includes supportive posts about Palestine or protests and debate about the Palestine Action ban.

Read our open letter ⬇️

https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/open-letter-implementation-of-palestine-action-proscription-on-social-media/

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #censorship #freespeech #freeexpression #freedomofexpression #palestine #gaza #palestineaction #ukpolitics #ukpol

Censorship of content relating to Palestine is a result of the UK government banning Palestine Action and duties placed on platforms by the UK Online Safety Act to moderate 'illegal' content.

Signatories to our open letter call on Ofcom to proactively defend the right to free expression.

Hear more from ORG's Prorgamme Manager, Sara Chitseko ⬇️

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #censorship #freespeech #freeexpression #freedomofexpression #palestine #gaza #palestineaction #ukpolitics #ukpol