Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Yep, sounds believable enough to me, I don't know many kids of 16/17 years of age that would lie about using a VPN when asked :rolleyes:

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

In other words, we know we cannot block them so we will forget that bit.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

i don't know any that would answer

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Is "ugh" a Yes or No ? :)

They decided they didnt want the shite show that foolisly trying to ban their next lot of voters off VPNs would cause.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Probably told by ISP's that they wouldn't block them on a network level and the VPN providers probably said "we will not give the ip's to you for all the servers, even though we could just change them after giving them to you".

There is ways to block them, it's not really difficult, I can do it on my home network albeit my slightly more advanced than the normal home user network but still, I can block them easily but don't because why bother, it's not going to change anything.

The simple way they will go about the data collection that they want is to force a keylogger etc on your systems, we have already seen this with Edge, with LG and nGreedia, there is more stuff that people are ignoring or don't know about and so it will just be "accepted" by the vast majority.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Should really never trust what people say to researchers, it really depends on what and of cause the wording of the question.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Let's hope Burnham being PM and Liz Kendall getting fired from cabinet is the beginning of putting a stop to this nonsense

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Doubt it, he will probably double down on it, too much money to lose if he tried to stop it.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

In what way?

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

You have to think about it in the way that Digital ID, plus the OSA is being used and what services and business's are being created to specifically deal with this BS!


Let's say "Data Scrapper" one aka Microslop say's "we are not going to invest £x Million/Billion in your country if you remove these law's", all of a sudden the leader of that country says "oh we have thought about it again and we are not going to remove it" questions get asked why and no real answer is given, but behind the scenes anyone with common sense knows "money" that is the reason!

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Digital ID isn't going to happen.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

it was never funded

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Following the incident at the weekend where seven people lost their lives, the Government is to order that videos of driving 'pranks' be taken down.

Not sure if this will be a direct order or done via amending the Online Safety Act.

I support this and find it shocking that such material was allowed anyway (the latest trend on Tik Tok involves youngsters thinking they're being clever by recording themselves deliberately driving the wrong way down a road).

These companies are only interested in making money, so it remains to be seen if any will refuse to take such videos down and what the Government/Ofcom do in response.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Good luck to them with that because tik tok are based in China


Have they not learned from 4chan?

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

This sort of thing has been going on for years, but with the rise of "you cannot tell kids off" and the whole "influencer" BS, it's becoming more and more prevalent with kids thinking they can do what they want.

I agree it should be removed and should not be allowed, however I doubt anything will actually happen, other than a few slapped wrist's for a few weeks and then back to normal.



In other news the House of Incompetents (lords) is wanting a new Inquiry into the OSA, with the following questions:

https://committees.parliament.uk/sub...l-for-evidence

Impact of the Online Safety Act

1) What evidence, if any, is there that children are safer online since the OSA protection of children duties came into force?

2) What evidence, if any, is there that UK users are less exposed to illegal content and activity since the OSA illegal content duties came into force?

3) Has the OSA been effective in protecting groups disproportionately affected by harms within its scope, including women and girls, and those vulnerable to exploitation?

4) Have the OSA’s provisions been effective in driving services to a) identify relevant risks, b) take proportionate action that adequately mitigates those risks, and c) make meaningful changes to their systems, processes and design features?

5) Has the OSA impacted users’ ability to report illegal content or content harmful to children, make complaints and receive an appropriate and timely response, and to what extent?

6) What unintended consequences, if any, have arisen from the Act or its implementation, including for freedom of expression, privacy and accessibility?

Ofcom’s implementation and enforcement

7) Has Ofcom’s interpretation and implementation of the OSA to date given appropriate effect to its provisions?

8) What changes, if any, are needed to improve the effectiveness of Ofcom’s a) illegal content and protection of children codes of practice, b) guidance on violence against women and girls, or c) wider regulatory approach?

9) Where duties are in force, how effective and timely have Ofcom’s supervision and enforcement been in driving improvements and securing compliance?

10) Are there any factors that may be limiting Ofcom’s ability to carry out its duties under the OSA effectively? If so, what changes are needed?

Adequacy and future of the legislative framework

11) What specific changes, if any, are needed to the existing provisions in the OSA to improve their effectiveness?

12) Beyond amending the OSA, what specific action should the Government, Ofcom, regulated services or Parliament take to address any shortcomings in the online safety regime?

13) How well can the existing online safety framework respond to emerging harms and technologies? What changes, within the existing framework of the Act, are needed to ensure that it remains fit for the future, and should these be made within the existing framework or through further primary legislation?

14) What impact could the recent and proposed additions to the UK’s online safety framework, including the Government’s proposals to restrict access to social media for under 16s, have on the OSA’s implementation and effectiveness?



They must be feeling the pinch from Thieving Reeves policies hitting them in their pockets so want to try and get some money back.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

only needs 1 question.

Has this been a total waste of time? yes

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Interesting developments regarding plans to force age verification for VPN's:

https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-pr...efuse-to-budge

Looks like it isn't going to be easy for Governments to force this.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Well of course it isn't otherwise China would have already done it

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Which is something the 'man in the street' could see ages ago, although we didn't need 8 (expensive) committee meetings and Govt. reviews to see it.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

If the option was available, would anybody switch off the algorithms on social media?

Australia is to force social media platforms to allow users to opt out of algorithms:

https://www.theguardian.com/australi...l-duty-of-care

I think this is a good idea as it will stop those searching for advice on depression, suicide, eating disorders etc being exposed to potentially harmful material. Before I suggest this at the next meeting, i'd like to gauge what other people think.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

If people (kids, young adults) want to search for that kind of stuff, they're not going to opt out are they.

More window dressing that won't cure anything.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Good point, I wonder if algorithms can be switched off via parental controls?

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

"Parental Controls"

Why did the word 'oxymoron' suddenly pop into my head ;)

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Yep, on the rare occasion I login (for family) they just annoy me.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

It was said earlier that the Government is to introduce primary legislation to force tech firms to make it so that devices cannot take, send or receive nude images. This will be able to be switched off for those aged 18 or over who have verified their age.

Statistics show that 90% of girls & 50% of boys were sent indecent images and those that were sent by children were being used for 'sextortion' or to make the child self harm.

90% of devices in use are Apple or Google. To their credit, Apple already have a system where nude images are blurred out.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

All I see is giving even more information to Tec firms, lord they have enough ready. Yesterday I saw that over 2000 trackers had been stopped, not sure how much salt too take.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Coming soon to the world as we have nutters in charge!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Mn-_yxQD5I

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

This 90% and 50% . . . is that of 10 'children' asked, 100, or 10 million?

Statistics *spit* can be (and often are) used in a very deliberate way to push an agenda*


*Hugh need not reply, I've already heard it all :D

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

sadly it's drawn from a bottomless pit ;)

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Ofcom chiefs have acknowledged that most fines issued under the Online Safety Act (OSA) remain unpaid, highlighting limitations in the comms regulator's enforcement powers.

The regulator's director of enforcement, Suzanne Cater, told the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee that although another payment arrived this week, "realistically the majority have not been paid.”

Sadly I can’t find a direct link to support this, I got it from a post on The Register

If true, then who would have suspected it?

If only anyone had thought to inform the legislators that they can pass any law they like. Enforcement is quite another matter!

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

your link is bust

https://www.theregister.com/security...g-them/5297110

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

The bill is bust :rofl:

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Damn, an extra “ has managed to insert itself. Thank you for providing the proper link.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Looks like they're going to go after individuals instead ie senior managers.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

And if they are in another country, well good luck with that.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

More straw clutching.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

I wonder how much money has been spent so far chasing fines compared with what they have been able to recover.

Latest on 4chan

No, 4chan has not paid its fines, and it has publicly refused to comply with the UK's Online Safety Act. The status of the situation involves several key points:The Fines: Ofcom hit 4chan with a combined package of fines totaling £520,000 (initially starting with earlier information requests and escalating to £450,000 for failing to implement age-assurance checks for adult content, £50,000 for failing to carry out illegal content risk assessments, and £20,000 for deficient terms of service), alongside mounting daily penalty fees for continued non-compliance. The Stance: 4chan and its legal representation have effectively shrugged off the penalties. Their legal defense (headed by US lawyers) argued that because the platform operates out of the United States, its conduct is protected by the First Amendment and it does not recognize Ofcom's jurisdiction. The Enforcement Stalemate: Because 4chan is an overseas entity with no physical assets or corporate presence in the UK to seize, collecting the cash directly is nearly impossible through standard debt recovery.Instead of voluntary payment, Ofcom's alternative options for dealing with defiant offshore platforms include pursuing business disruption measures—such as ordering UK payment providers/advertisers to cut ties or forcing UK Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block the website domain entirely.

Just shows that the oline safety act is toothless in most situations as even without a VPN i can still access 4Chan

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Probably quite little, a few letters, the cost of a few stamps. Look they absolutely know that these companies will never pay the fines. That was never the point, the point was always for the government of the day to be able to say 'we are doing something'

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Crypto is their friend!

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Crypto is the banking equivalent of the dark web.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

This could well be a first, but I agree with Andrew

No I'm not off my head on drugs or alcohol ;)

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

The owner of Pornhub is to be investigated by Ofcom over concerns that they aren't doing enough to stop under 18's accessing their content.

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

Well they need to keep justifying their existance with more pointless investigations. :dozey:

After all, how long does it take to load a porn site ? :erm:

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

And what are they supposed to do?

They have done everything they legally have to do, so are the ignorant, stupid and power hungry Ofcom going to demand more from them than they legally have to do?


Soon it will be illegal to breath folks because the lunatics in charge think that because they saw something in a book once that said "breathing puts out gasses that are harmful (ignoring the rest of the information)" so that means all things need to be stopped from breathing to save the children from the harmful effects of breathing aka life!

Meanwhile they do nothing to stop the idiots stabbing each other in London on a daily basis, the idiots riding around on E-Bikes robbing phones etc, but no they need to make sure that the internet is child friendly, not the actual country they live in, the streets they walk or the schools they go to etc but the Internet!

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

They wont be happy until all porn sites convert to pictures of fluffy kittens ....

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

The 'furry' community would be most happy with that.;)

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

:D.:D

Re: Online Safety Bill Etc
 

They will class that as "Bestiality" and will have that removed!


Honestly the way this world is going, if an Alien race came to take over the planet, they wouldn't have any trouble because those in charge would just roll over and cry, but the rest of us won't be able to do anything because we will be strapped into our pods wrapped in bubble wrap to avoid having a little bit of wind hit us because it might make us feel something.