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/

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/

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

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

#ageverification just waits breach to happen, then this data can be abused or if bad actor has acccess.

Making chats #unencrypted and forcing apps to have backdoor leads to authoritanians and if some people disagree they will be chased down.

Privacy is #humanright and thus #ChatControl needs to be stopped.

Dont let the history repeat itself...
#historylesson

If anyone following my account still supports CLuxon's crusade to ban people under 16 from "social media" (still not sure how they define that), I suggest you look into how age verification is working out in practice in the jurisdictions that are already trying it.

(1/2)

#AgeVerification#B416

@jim

Age verification has overextended itself 🚨

UK users are coerced into giving sensitive data to many unregulated providers under the threat of wide-ranging censorship.

It’s an open goal for cybercriminals 🤬

Tell your MP (UK) the Online Safety Act isn’t working ⬇️

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

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

"Thanks to the Online Safety Act, people in Britain are being compelled to use unregulated age verification tools in order to access content online."

The UK government must “limit the scope of the Act so that people aren’t forced to risk their privacy whenever they go online.”

As age verification blocks porn AND ‘harmful’ content, millions are put at risk.

🗣️ ORG’s @JamesBaker

https://bylinetimes.com/2025/07/31/the-online-safety-act-is-forcing-brits-to-hand-over-personal-data-to-unregulated-overseas-corporations-with-questionable-privacy-records/

#OnlineSafetyAct #privacy #ageverification #ukpolitics

Age verification has overextended itself 🚨

UK users are coerced into giving sensitive data to many unregulated providers under the threat of wide-ranging censorship.

It’s an open goal for cybercriminals 🤬

Tell your MP (UK) the Online Safety Act isn’t working ⬇️

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

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

New[ish] Privacy Guides article 🪪🚫
by me:

Age verification laws have been multiplying in recent years. This is extremely bad news for your privacy rights.

While framed as a measure to
protect the children, collecting more data on every users of the internet endangers everyone, including the children.

This isn't a protective measure,
this is authoritarian policies normalizing mass surveillance and silencing dissidents.

It could very much become
the end of pseudonymity online,
if we do not push back against it.

https://www.privacyguides.org/articles/2025/05/06/age-verification-wants-your-face/

#PrivacyGuides#Privacy#AgeVerification#GDPR#Biometrics#MassSurveillance

How's it going since the UK Online Safety Act slammed an age gate on the Internet?

Age verification providers with dodgy privacy policies, over-moderation of content, scammers scheming and sites closing down.

Here's a week in the life of an unworkable law ⬇️

https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/the-great-british-firewall-age-verification-has-failed/

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety#OSA #privacy #ageverification #ageassurance #ukpolitics #ukpol #freedomofexpression #censorship #netplurality

Blink and you’ll have never seen it in the first place 🫥

Age verification rules in the UK Online Safety Act are snapping parts of the Internet out of existence.

But it’s not what you think (porn)!

News on conflicts: GONE. Support for sexual health and smoking: GONE.

Watch as ORG’s @JamesBaker shows how censorship works ⬇️

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #osa #censorship #reddit #ageverification #vpn #privacy #freeexpression #ukpolitics #ukpol #freedomofexpression

Teens are left in the dark when it comes to getting support or news online.

Adults have to stay in the soft play area unless they scatter their ID or biometrics across the Internet.

The UK Online Safety Act is a shoddy, dangerous law.

Tell your MP it’s gotta change ⬇️

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

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

Blink and you’ll have never seen it in the first place 🫥

Age verification rules in the UK Online Safety Act are snapping parts of the Internet out of existence.

But it’s not what you think (porn)!

News on conflicts: GONE. Support for sexual health and smoking: GONE.

Watch as ORG’s @JamesBaker shows how censorship works ⬇️

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #osa #censorship #reddit #ageverification #vpn #privacy #freeexpression #ukpolitics #ukpol #freedomofexpression

Plurality online is being wrecked.

The UK Online Safety Act imposes heavy burdens on small sites, including risk assessments for a broad range of content, the threat of fines or the cost of checking the age of every user.

❌ Many small sites are shutting down or blocking UK users entirely.

✅ Change the categorisation of sites, so small sites and instances are exempt.

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety#OSA #privacy #ageverification #ageassurance #ukpolitics #ukpol #netplurality

Reddit, Grindr and Bluesky have chosen age verification providers based outside the UK with concerning privacy policies. Go figure.

❌ You can't choose provider
❌ Platforms don't need to pick certified providers
❌ Providers don't need to meet specific privacy or security standards

✅ Regulate the age verification industry now.

#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety#OSA #privacy #ageverification #ageassurance #ukpolitics #ukpol #freedomofexpression #censorship #netplurality