Imgur blocks access to UK users after [Ofcom] proposed regulatory fine | BBC News
https://alecmuffett.com/article/115312
#AgeVerification #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #imgur #ofcom #surveillance
The Age Verification Providers Association and the Association of Digital Verification Professionals
(yep, this shit is real)
#Ofcom #OnlineSafetyAct #RishiSunak #AgeVerificationProvidersAssociation
Colum Lyons, seems to be something to do with he Association of Digital Verification Professionals according to LinkedIn
the Association of Digital Verification Professionals
on its landing page, this organisation has a baby lit by the glow of a digital screen because obviously babies are now online and have to verify their identity - this is a picture of the leader of the AVPA, Alastair Graham
search results for The Age Verification Providers Association, an association of organisations that provide Age Verification services which is part of the UK government's attempt to enshittify the entire internet
Jim Killock
boosted
We wouldn't let a child get behind the wheel of a car and drive down the street, we wouldn't let a child go into an off licence and buy booze. The #OnlineSafetyAct affords protections to children in the virtual world, just as we expect them to be in the physical world.
We wouldn't let a child get behind the wheel of a car and drive down the street, we wouldn't let a child go into an off licence and buy booze. The #OnlineSafetyAct affords protections to children in the virtual world, just as we expect them to be in the physical world.
Welcome to the age verification era! 🔞 🔍
Here's why you should be concerned
❌ Risks your privacy & security
❌ Threatens anonymity & freedom of speech
❌ It's often ineffective
We explore in today's article 👉 https://tuta.com/blog/age-verification-kills-anonymity
@Tutanota Does age verification really have to rely on face scans, document uploads, or other invasive methods? 🔍 Isn't there a way to do it that respects user privacy? 🛡️
I have an idea that - while it would need some adjustments - seems reasonable to me, especially when we're talking about such a sensitive topic. In my country, Poland, ID cards have an NFC chip 📲 that contains encrypted data, including the date of birth. Access to this data requires a PIN 🔐 that is set at the government office.
Wouldn't it be possible to create an app that reads this data from the ID when first launched, and then requires the PIN each time to decrypt the date of birth? The app could communicate with the browser locally and simply send a yes or no answer ✅❌ about whether the user meets the required age - without revealing any personal data.
Of course I know not every country has such ID cards, but if they truly care about protecting children 👶, they should first make sure to create proper, secure solutions - ones that respect human rights 🧭 and don't violate citizens' privacy.
That's my opinion - but I'm open to other perspectives if there's something wrong with this approach 💬
#Privacy #Freedom #AgeVerification #OnlineSafetyAct #Surveillance #HumanRights
Welcome to the age verification era! 🔞 🔍
Here's why you should be concerned
❌ Risks your privacy & security
❌ Threatens anonymity & freedom of speech
❌ It's often ineffective
We explore in today's article 👉 https://tuta.com/blog/age-verification-kills-anonymity
VPNs must not face the chop 🚫
Next week the UK House of Lords will debate whether VPNs undermine the Online Safety Act.
Banning or blocking VPNs will shatter security, privacy and free expression in a self-defeating attempt to make the unworkable workable.
Read our briefing ⬇️
https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/briefing-vpns-and-the-online-safety-act/
#OnlineSafetyAct #onlinesafety #OSA #VPN #VPNs #privacy #cybersecurity #freespeech #ukpolitics #ukpol #ageverification
@span openrightsgroup
Anything that undermines the #OnlineSafetyAct is likely a very good thing.
Anything that undermines the #OnlineSafetyAct is likely a very good thing.
I know this was a a Tory bill, but #UKLabour specialise in wrong choices and this was a doozy. But then there are so many others.
Anke
and 1 other
boosted
At the moment, because of the #OnlineSafetyAct, I've had to block UK users from hearing the audio. So if you go to a page like this: https://www.girlonthenet.com/blog/kissing-at-the-speed-of-consent/ and click 'play', and you're browsing from a UK IP address, Cloudflare blocks you from hearing the audio.
It basically spits out a 403 error, and the play button doesn't work. This is good for compliance with the law, but SHIT for users who probably just assume my website is broken.
Tech minded people: can anyone help me set a custom 403 within Cloudflare that directs people to a piece of audio rather than a specific page?
More info below, including a few adult links (though I've tried to keep them as soft as poss).
Any help v much appreciated!
🧵
At the moment, because of the #OnlineSafetyAct, I've had to block UK users from hearing the audio. So if you go to a page like this: https://www.girlonthenet.com/blog/kissing-at-the-speed-of-consent/ and click 'play', and you're browsing from a UK IP address, Cloudflare blocks you from hearing the audio.
It basically spits out a 403 error, and the play button doesn't work. This is good for compliance with the law, but SHIT for users who probably just assume my website is broken.
Charlie Stross
boosted
Okay so now they are moving past ‘protect the children’ how long do we think it'll be before trans content is defined as ‘self-harm’ and criminalised for all ages?
Okay so now they are moving past ‘protect the children’ how long do we think it'll be before trans content is defined as ‘self-harm’ and criminalised for all ages?
@neil I'm a polite person, so I'm not going to ask why you noticed this just now. ;-)
The Open Rights Group is working on an amendment to the OSA which would propose a small site exemption, for sites that are maintained without a view to profit, with a small number of active users, and which the owner reasonably believes to pose no risk to users.
If you want to give thoughts on various parts of the potential amendments, there's a form here:
https://cloud.openrightsgroup.org/nextcloud/apps/forms/s/dQB6GSRQ4jHzGjxiYG5tAnDB
@neil
I've stated this on the form, but the idea of "having to tell Ofcom" anything is a bit dangerous - sounds like every interactive website would have to register centrally just to exist! That's a significant further escalation from where we are now.
It should be passive, as with the current OSA - you do an assessment which can be made available on request (at least that's my understanding of it)
Jonathan Schofield
boosted
Mastodon says it doesn’t ‘have the means’ to comply with age verification laws | TechCrunch
https://alecmuffett.com/article/114759
#AgeVerification#OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #mastodon #surveillance #vpn
Mastodon says it doesn’t ‘have the means’ to comply with age verification laws | TechCrunch
https://alecmuffett.com/article/114759
#AgeVerification#OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #censorship #mastodon #surveillance #vpn
James Baker
boosted
Steam has done pretty reasonable and balanced decision in response to Online Safety Act: "account is age verified if the valid card is stored in the account"
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/292B-3DA3-CFC8-97F6
#Steam #OnlineSafetyAct#OSA #Gaming#Videogames #Surveillance #Privacy
Steam has done pretty reasonable and balanced decision in response to Online Safety Act: "account is age verified if the valid card is stored in the account"
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/292B-3DA3-CFC8-97F6
#Steam #OnlineSafetyAct#OSA #Gaming#Videogames #Surveillance #Privacy
Clive Thompson
boosted
Hey folks! I am looking for a post that was in /explore around Jul 31 - a screenshot of someone explaining that BMW had shuttered its UK forums and moved to Facebook, because of the #OnlineSafetyAct. My search-fu is failing me. Anyone know the post I'm talking about (or have a link to a source giving details of the move)?
Thank you!
Hey folks! I am looking for a post that was in /explore around Jul 31 - a screenshot of someone explaining that BMW had shuttered its UK forums and moved to Facebook, because of the #OnlineSafetyAct. My search-fu is failing me. Anyone know the post I'm talking about (or have a link to a source giving details of the move)?
Thank you!