Neil Brown
@neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk  ·  activity timestamp 5 days ago

And in other #OnlineSafetyAct news, Ofcom has today issued 4chan with a provisional notice of contravention:

> Provisional Decision: Information Notice duties

> In accordance with section 130 of the Online Safety Act 2023, we have today issued 4chan Community Support LLC with a provisional notice of contravention.

> Ofcom is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing the provider has contravened its duties under section 102(8) of the Act to comply with two requests for information. We will consider any representations provided in response to this provisional notice before we make a final decision on this matter.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/illegal-and-harmful-content/investigation-into-4chan-and-its-compliance-with-duties-to-protect-its-users-from-illegal-content
⛧Wendinope⛧
@Wendinope@girlcock.club replied  ·  activity timestamp 5 days ago
@neil like, fuck 4chan, but.. the UKs laws *do not* apply to citizens of other countries like tht.

"but you service our region"
that's more of a *you* problem, the government can always (and probably does) geo-block any sites they don't like anyways.

So, assuming the site's programmers are not UK citizens, this is as good as screaming in the night.

Like what's the plan here:
"we don't like your website, come to the UK so we can arrest you!!" ??

lookin awful american over there .-.
Oli
@OliverNoble@mastodon.world replied  ·  activity timestamp 5 days ago
@neil
I really dont see why 4chan would give a flying fuck about what Ofcom want

Just because the UK always grovels to the US, doesnt mean that will be reciprocated

Not to defend 4chan (never used it, never will) but if the net result of this stupidity is that #wikipedia becomes unavailable in the UK while 4chan just carries on regardless ...WTAF
Ret
@ret@furry.engineer replied  ·  activity timestamp 5 days ago
@neil I'm sure they are quaking in their boots.

This is just a pretence for the UK Government to remove access to speech they find uncomfortable or disagree with. There's no other way to view this.

I'm absolutely no "channer" but not responding is absolutely the right thing to do. The suggestion of a U.S. LLC or U.S. citizens now having "duties" under UK Law is absolutely laughable.
Ivor Hewitt
@ivor@social.ivor.org replied  ·  activity timestamp 5 days ago
@neil will be interesting to see what the process is now and how it plays out. After all why would 4chan reply or even care. So I assume we'll now get a constant stream of DNS and IP blocking, which is going to a) be generally ineffective and b) destructive with lots of collateral damage. How much internet is going to survive in the UK other than Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn.
Dan Sugalski
@wordshaper@weatherishappening.network replied  ·  activity timestamp 5 days ago
@neil As someone *outside* the UK who runs internet things, the most frustrating part of the whole thing is I don't know how much I need to care, how much liability I have, or what obligations I legitimately need to meet.

I realize I'm not in any way alone in this. The incentives in all this seem deeply stupid and messed up.