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UK's Online Safety Act comes into force

ofcom.org.uk

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Re: UK's Online Safety Act comes into force

#131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am a software engineer in the UK. One of the reasons I want to move from the UK is because so many of our populace has attitudes such as yours. The online safety act won't solve the problems you think it will and will create a whole new host of issues. What is amusing is that you even admit that you solved the problem of online scammers with your grandparents through education (I've seen the videos you mentioned as…

> (doesn't get reported on btw). I wonder how it is that you know about it then?

I suspect he means it doesn't get reported in the main stream media. Independent media channels have reported this.

Re: UK's Online Safety Act comes into force

#132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Social media does not cause harm in of itself. People can use social media in a way that can be harmful, but you can say that about absolutely anything. Plenty of people that are not tech people manage to use social media to promote themselves, their business etc. People use it as a place of business. It is a mixed bag, like most things are. You are (like the government) pre-supposing that is the case and basing your…

The best cultural difference analogy I’ve heard — two ends of “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people” argument. One side genuinely believes that statement, the other thinks without guns there would be less death. Same applies to social media and web as well. Yes, it is people ruining each other’s lives, but using an intermediary tool. Whether you think that way will depend on your preexisting conceptions and bel…

I had an issue with alcohol for many years. That doesn't mean that drinking is inherently bad. There are plenty of people that can enjoy a few drinks responsibly. I am not one of those people. Therefore I abstain from alcohol as a result. I don't ask that alcohol to be banned.

Re: UK's Online Safety Act comes into force

#133
post #44

The UK has a thing called non-crime hate incidents ( https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-crime-hate-in... ) where the police records alleged complaints about discrimination, even if they are not a crime (otherwise they would be hate crimes). This could be used to direct policing resources sensibly ("lots of incidents recorded at such-and-such a place, maybe we should patrol there a bit more") or to build a…

This is overblown. The police are responsible for deciding how to classify a report. Their decisions need to be audited to avoid corruption. Ergo they have to maintain a record of reports they decided were not hate crimes.

>Their decisions need to be audited to avoid corruption.

And as we all know: corruption ends abruptly at the highest levels.

Re: UK's Online Safety Act comes into force

#134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I found out about it via social media which is essentially modern "word of mouth".

OK, so you are just spreading rumours then?

I clearly didn't mean that (and I think you know that btw).

I said "found out about it via social media". I then did my own research to find the original post by the person that had their home raided. I have been duped before by social media and I like to find the actual source (if possible).

So I am not "spreading rumours".

Re: UK's Online Safety Act comes into force

#135
post #44

The UK has a thing called non-crime hate incidents ( https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-crime-hate-in... ) where the police records alleged complaints about discrimination, even if they are not a crime (otherwise they would be hate crimes). This could be used to direct policing resources sensibly ("lots of incidents recorded at such-and-such a place, maybe we should patrol there a bit more") or to build a…

This is overblown. The police are responsible for deciding how to classify a report. Their decisions need to be audited to avoid corruption. Ergo they have to maintain a record of reports they decided were not hate crimes.

How long should police hold on to reports that they don't do anything with? If I make a complaint to the police about you, should an unrelated interaction you have with the police 5 years later bring up that report? Do you have a right to be forgotten if you haven't been convicted of a crime? Do I have a right to be forgotten if I've filed a report (or reports) that the police determine is/are frivolous?

I can think of plenty scenarios where these records should be destroyed permanently after some amount of time - namely, if the police decide not to refer to a prosecutor, or if the prosecutor decides not to press charges, or if the defendant is found not guilty.

Re: UK's Online Safety Act comes into force

#136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I get btw a threat letter from another UK quango (I forget the name), which basically says "if you have any user data you need to pay us £60 a year". The Information Commissioners Office. Just tell them you are not storing any data and they will go away. > I did work as a freelancer in the UK (made impossible now because of IR-35 regulation) Freelancers were never covered by IR35. IR35 covers employees masquerading…

My comment around IR-35 is that it has caused a lot of confusion and thus made contracting a lot more difficult as a result. A lot of freelancers and contractors have been affected by this.

Contracting made a bit more difficult, freelancing totally unaffected. It was always pretty easy to check at below. Every contractor I have ever met seems to know about umbrella companies...

It was not a great regulation, and seemed to affect government contractors the most, which was a bit of an own goal. But it never affected Freelancers

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-employment-status-for-tax

Re: UK's Online Safety Act comes into force

#137
post #38
post #23

We love our regulation, especially if the government can't easily tax it. Yet, we still have gambling adverts on UK TV and on football shirts. At the same time we've also banned adverts for "certain types" of porridge. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgrwzx8er9o

About banning ads for “certain types of porridge”: > …the majority of porridge, muesli and granola products will not be affected by the advertising restrictions but some less healthy versions (with added sugar, chocolate, syrup) could be affected. > Sometimes products may be marketed as, or perceived by consumers to be, healthy but in fact contain surprisingly high levels of saturated fat, salt or sugar. Source: http…

I know you think this is a gotcha but you're seriously advocating for the banning of advertisements of certain kinds of food? Based on the fact that what, some people aren't smart enough to read an ingredient label?

Re: UK's Online Safety Act comes into force

#138
post #23

We love our regulation, especially if the government can't easily tax it. Yet, we still have gambling adverts on UK TV and on football shirts. At the same time we've also banned adverts for "certain types" of porridge. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgrwzx8er9o

First, they came for the crumpets.

Re: UK's Online Safety Act comes into force

#139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> (doesn't get reported on btw). I wonder how it is that you know about it then?

I suspect he means it doesn't get reported in the main stream media. Independent media channels have reported this.

Cool, do you have a link to any of them?
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