UK's new internet laws, are we going to lose our anonymity, and become as heavily censored and monitored as China, North Korea, Russia etc?

[Bleaney]

There's been an abundance of videos about this on you tube over the past week or so.

Most of the the videos are taking the alarmist stance that we're all doomed, and anonymity is over! (I know those with the know how always have been able to identify some unprotected individuals online, but this seems to be something else altogether.)

Granted that being required to enter a D.O.B to access adult content is a PAITA, but I've simpy entered a false DOB and there was no checks.

But not just sexual stuff, as now whenever I try to access certain topics on a big corporate discussion board, I'm prompted for my DOB and then my computer black screens and wont do anything!!

I'm already so sick of it, that I've changed my VPN settings to appear as if I am in another country.

Problem solved. For now, at least.

But is anyone concerned that this is just a first step towards something much more sinister?

Like proper ID checks to be introduced next, and potential bans on VPNs?

Are the youtubers sensationalsing things for click bait reasons?

Apart from within you tube no one else seems to give a shit. No on is taking to the streets, not much mention on other social media platforms.

Maybe it's because this first step is rather lame and ineffectual, has no substance or teeth, and already VPN downloads have shot up massively since this was introduced, particularly amongst the under 18s, so that they can continue to access adult content.

I wouldn't like to speculate about where this could end up. But surely as a country we won't all just roll over and accept a fate similar to that endured by the citizens of China, North Korea, or Russia!?

Why are we even suddenly potentially being forced to take steps to align our internet use with such authoritarian and draconian countries?

I know it's all being done under the guise of "child protection", but no one seems to believe that for one moment.

What on earth is going on!!??

@Anyone who is concerned, please sign the petition:

Petition: Repeal the Online Safety Act

We want the Government to repeal the Online Safety act.

petition.parliament.uk

We want the Government to repeal the Online Safety act.​

More details
We believe that the scope of the Online Safety act is far broader and restrictive than is necessary in a free society.
For instance, the definitions in Part 2 covers online hobby forums, which we think do not have the resource to comply with the act and so are shutting down instead.
We think that Parliament should repeal the act and work towards producing proportionate legislation rather than risking clamping down on civil society talking about trains, football, video games or even hamsters because it can't deal with individual bad faith actors.

 

[KurtAurelius]

My paranoid cynic side does believe they want to test the waters and see if they can get away with more shite like this.

Labour aren’t Labour and all that, another bullshit wanky center party and with the House of Lords and The MPs almost always all a bunch of nepo, Lordy conservetavie scum.

Rant over lol..

 

[Bleaney]

Yeah time will tell how this will play out.

It seems at the moment that the multiple dozens of "RIP Internet 1995-2025" videos posted over the last week to ten days are going OTT.

Clickbait is the name of the game after all. Especially anything with a negative, scaremongering title. The stats have proven these videso get far more views than anything with a positive spin. Which is pretty tragic, and just the same tactic that the lousy MSM uses. That's why I originally liked Youtube so much, but the monetisation angle has changed things so much for the worse.

But if more and more websites do actually start demanding ID to use them it will obviously be a major concern and threat to liberty. Although some wag has already suggested that AI services creating fake IDs in the guise of Kier Starmer for example could see the demand for their services go through the roof. And sending a glorious "Fuck You" to the person who tried to introduce these measures.

I also love that Apple and the UK government are having a legal tussle over the privacy angle, with Apple refusing to comply with the UK governments demands for Apple to allow or create some sort of snoopers charter back door for all private personal communications for the authorities to monitor.. Apple have suddenly gone up a lot in my estimations for this principled stance.

I resented them previously for the way they kept everything in-house, with all of their hardware and software very deliberately not compatibale with anything else, and then charging jaw droppingly extortionate rates just for things like connecting cables. But the weird thing is that consumerism has got such a grip over so many people, that even people on minimum wage have become Apple fanatics. Not just the middle class playing keeping up with the Jones's and believing it's super cool or superior or some other irrational (even brainwashed) nonsense. Paying way over the odds and getting thoroughly mugged. Although I understand some people just love the brand and products. Even though all common sense and logic says NO. But I digress......

 

[matt<3ketamine]

 

[Bleaney]

Yeah that guy has articulated things well, as to why it is of particular concern to people like ourselves who like to read or discuss various adult or mature subjects, exactly the type of subjects that are discussed on Bluelight. A forum dedicated to harm reduction, as we all know. If people will be required to provide ID then they are highly likely not to, and so wont be able to ask HR related questions and search for such info, so the bill really could kill people if they cant share experiences, access good information, or just receive support from like-minded people.

Age verification, and revealing your identity is now required to do such things on Reddit in the UK.

I appear to have broken Reddit on my computer by trying to enter a false DOB, but no way way was I going to upload a genuine ID and provide my real DOB.

There are companies that do all the verification on behalf of the platforms. But there are no safeguards as to what they will do with that data. It seems clear that it will be accessible by the authorities. That is likely the real agenda of the whole thing and that is what is so sickening.

I may have incriminated myself online a thousand times over, although I could also just be a compulsive liar who makes up stories online about using substances. Just posting things online isnt neccessarily evidence of anything?

However, it gives the police a ready made list of who to raid whenever they may wish to. No one in their right mind would voluntarily add themselves to that list!?

At the moment, the problem is easily sidestepped by using a VPN to change your IP address to anywhere that isn't in the UK. (Although Australia already seems to be going further and even more hardline than the UK, with the rest of Europe looking like they won't be far behind with similar measures.)

It's also apparently easy to get AI to create fake IDs. But I'm not sure if doing that could also become a prosecutable criminal offence.

 

[M1sterEd]

Scary

 

[Ismene2]

All I know is I was trying to flog myself last night and I click on the porn and it says "Facial recognition" needed - I'm trying to put my face into the frame while flicking myself off with the other hand. Frustrating.

 

[Chickens]

I'm willing to help anyone in need of bypassing censorship OF THIS SITE, or others like it. (I'm not handing out free VPN servers for porn, I can see what video bandwidth looks like). PM me if you want help.

 

[LoginNotSecure]

Download Tor, it's simple for even the most simpleton to work. It works exactly like your standard web browser.

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

All I know is I was trying to flog myself last night and I click on the porn and it says "Facial recognition" needed - I'm trying to put my face into the frame while flicking myself off with the other hand. Frustrating.

Yeh, it's a bit of a buzz kill innit? Especially when you see your own sad and desperate face looking back at you...

 

[Bleaney]

Download Tor, it's simple for even the most simpleton to work. It works exactly like your standard web browser.

Yeah it does seem that that could work.

Although if VPNs get banned at some point by ISPs being forced to police their customers, as they can tell if a VPN is being used, they could be forced to block that in some way.

But I guess the same thing could happen with TOR, as it's recommended to switch on a VPN on before connecting, so that the ISP cannot see what you're doing.

I guess all this could happen, but it's going to very cumbersome and riddled with issues and problems, for instance where many people have a legitimate need for a VPN or tor, for example with remote working at companies that require high security, or journalists dealing with very sensitive or heavy issues.

If all those further bans do actually happen, I guess it could take months or years to get the processes in place.

I don't understand tor to any great extent really, other than having spent a few hours a few times 'exploring' and yes it can be used as a normal internet browser. Although as far as I understand it, if you're not using URLs ending in .onion for any sites you're visiting or for any search engines, then you're not actually going that deep into the dark web. You'd only be on the surface. Even if your connection is relayed through 3 servers.

I've found a few .onion search engines, but they don't seem to be updated, as most of the links they provide are for sites that have become defunct. So far I've found the actual deeper levels of tor not at all easy to navigate. Although it didn't take very long to find the .onion 'market places' that it's notorious for, I couldn't find anything else on the .onion level. Which is probably for the best. I'm curious as to what is on there, but a lot of it could potentially lead to troubles if you don't really know what you're doing.

I think if this whole thing actually is for child protection, the solution could have been so much simpler than what has actually happened. Rather than inflict these measures on everyone, regardless of whether they have children or not, they could have introduced some measures requiring people to declare or prove to their ISP whether they have children or not. If they do, then some form of child locks could be put in place for adult material in that household. (Many parents are already voluntarily doing something like this.)

And for everyone else that has no children, what good does it do for them to upload their ID to watch porn or to be able to talk about drugs or alcohol or other issues? How does that protect children?

It simply doesn't.

The whole thing is clearly about control and monitoring the population, and we're now living in an even worse dystopia than George Orwell predicted in "1984".

 

[GulpingBatteryLiquid]

The only problems I noticed were trying to access certain subreddits (/r/CripplingAlcoholism was the first lmao) and certain tweets. Easily circumvented with a VPN.

Personally, I favour a ban on hardcore pornography. But this is not that. It's not even the government banning stuff, it's corporate lawyers banning stuff because they're observing this law very very cautiously. As regular poasters are aware, Google Search pretty much bans links to this site already. What's to stop them totally banning access?

I don't see it going anywhere good

 

[Bleaney]

A total ban would be too much. Although having to provide ID to access certain sites is almost as bad.

Compared to the social media and discussion group corporate giants, BL is tiny, and I hope it will just fly under the radar, uknkown and not seen.

But if Google is already not providing links, or placing them at the end of page 100 or something, than I'm not sure if that's a good sign or a bad sign.

I dont have any trouble searching for bl terms on duck go go but i search for things like "kratom withdrawl bluelight" to get what I'm looking for.

They seem to be going after the big sites first, the smaller ones may be in line to be targetted, at some point down the line. But the problem is they will be forced to do the age verification, or face huge fines, and most smaller websites wont be able to afford to do either. I guess this is why we're seeing all these "RIP Internet" videos.

I believe Wikipedia is taking legal action against the government over this measure, as it is also in the firing line.

Incredible that things have come to this. A block on accessing information is total authoratarianism.

 

[Ismene2]

Yeh, it's a bit of a buzz kill innit? Especially when you see your own sad and desperate face looking back at you...

I almost waited for the vinegar strokes to do the facial recognition

 

[Zopiclone bandit]

Says it all sadly.

 

[Uden]

There's been an abundance of videos about this on you tube over the past week or so.

Most of the the videos are taking the alarmist stance that we're all doomed, and anonymity is over! (I know those with the know how always have been able to identify some unprotected individuals online, but this seems to be something else altogether.)

Granted that being required to enter a D.O.B to access adult content is a PAITA, but I've simpy entered a false DOB and there was no checks.

But not just sexual stuff, as now whenever I try to access certain topics on a big corporate discussion board, I'm prompted for my DOB and then my computer black screens and wont do anything!!

I'm already so sick of it, that I've changed my VPN settings to appear as if I am in another country.

Problem solved. For now, at least.

But is anyone concerned that this is just a first step towards something much more sinister?

Like proper ID checks to be introduced next, and potential bans on VPNs?

Are the youtubers sensationalsing things for click bait reasons?

Apart from within you tube no one else seems to give a shit. No on is taking to the streets, not much mention on other social media platforms.

Maybe it's because this first step is rather lame and ineffectual, has no substance or teeth, and already VPN downloads have shot up massively since this was introduced, particularly amongst the under 18s, so that they can continue to access adult content.

I wouldn't like to speculate about where this could end up. But surely as a country we won't all just roll over and accept a fate similar to that endured by the citizens of China, North Korea, or Russia!?

Why are we even suddenly potentially being forced to take steps to align our internet use with such authoritarian and draconian countries?

I know it's all being done under the guise of "child protection", but no one seems to believe that for one moment.

What on earth is going on!!??

@Anyone who is concerned, please sign the petition:

Petition: Repeal the Online Safety Act

We want the Government to repeal the Online Safety act.

petition.parliament.uk

We want the Government to repeal the Online Safety act.​

More details
We believe that the scope of the Online Safety act is far broader and restrictive than is necessary in a free society.
For instance, the definitions in Part 2 covers online hobby forums, which we think do not have the resource to comply with the act and so are shutting down instead.
We think that Parliament should repeal the act and work towards producing proportionate legislation rather than risking clamping down on civil society talking about trains, football, video games or even hamsters because it can't deal with individual bad faith actors.

Honestly man, from where I'm sitting it's just going to get worse as far as "personal freedom" goes until society just stops playing the game altogether, or resists in some more substantial fashion. Where heavy handedness goes, it won't relent until said hand gets bitten usually. At least as far as recent history is concerned.

 

[Bleaney]

It's like they are thinking 'most of them went along with the Covid restrictions so they'll probably be compliant in this case too.'

I think not.

It's totally different. People will not comply.

At least I dearly fucking hope not, or quite honestly I will despair.

British users will certainly have to provide ID to use this site, if or when it comes to light. Who's going to do that!?

Unless they use bypass measures. Decent VPNs are only £30 or so per year. So worth it. Especially now, more than ever, as these restrictions start to kick in across the board.

Tor is free. But your ISP can see that you're using it, if you don't also use a VPN. And that can lead to issues if they suspect 'criminal activity.'

 

[KurtAurelius]

It's like they are thinking 'most of them went along with the Covid restrictions so they'll probably be compliant in this case too.'

I think not.

It's totally different. People will not comply.

At least I dearly fucking hope so, or quite honestly I will despair.

I echo you on the reasoning at the start.

Myself and friends were a minority in regards to our perception towards Covid. (Not to say it’s a hoax, rather the use of such stringent measures when our economy is already struggling and other etc)

For a quiet life we kept it to ourselves to not be socially persecuted, and quietly met up and got zooted and booted.

I really have little faith in the majority. Being a frontline worker in social care I meet dozens of new people from all walks of life and I tend to go full autistic when asked questions, the state of affairs always come into it.

There is no dissidence, no mistrust, and all their constraints, moaning, or attention is on the rather mundane day to day living, and anything further is brushed off.

I’m not trying to come off as some superior intellectual, I’m just a man child who over analyses all and its partly through jealously I make fun of Joe Normal.

^

But anyway, I really think they are drip feeding a slowly increasing agenda, in line with my psuedo schizotypal perception.

People on here and other similar places are social outcasts to joe Normal, and we’d not be taken seriously.

Especially as we consequently always have labels from the system (Autistic, Mentally Ill etc) and so they need not worry about those who question, it’s only to keep the sheep or whatever way you’d explain the matter, comfortable enough to comply.

My thoughts is the agenda is that tech can be used to keep all of us on record and tap solely so they can be pushed to keep bringing in revenue.

There’s no evil psychopathic torture syndicate in the cartoon way, rather than the very boring and sickening greed of keeping the money train flying, just as it has from every era of human civilisation.

 

[Bleaney]

Yeah, whatever else the Covid restrictions were about, they must have astonished governments around the world with how easily they could control populations.

I think that realisation is probably playing a part in these measures.

When you say that you think that 'the agenda is that tech can be used to keep all of us on record and tap solely so they can be pushed to keep bringing in revenue', do you just mean tracking our activities and purchases etc for the sake of advertising revenue, or something more sinister than that?

I can live with being tracked for advertising purposes. They've been trying to do that for ages. But even before I started using a VPN, I never saw an advert for anything online, and thought "Oh Wow, that is exactly what I want, and I must buy it right away." But post VPN I don't even get any adverts.

 

[KurtAurelius]

My speculation is mainly monetary, but at the end of the day, having the data registered to each person, and being able to access it is advantageous regardless, particularly if it does go more 1984.

Whether the push stays subtle through an algorithm designed to both quieten and enslave serfs or bleeds to a future totalitarian states taking direct action against those it deems needs be using its information bank.

If I was edgy I could say “the die is cast”