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VPN use surges in UK as new online safety rules kick in

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Re: VPN use surges in UK as new online safety rules kick in

#261

Post by Aurornis »

foldr wrote: post #231
Aurornis wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You are approaching this from a uniquely U.S. perspective. It’s not uniquely U.S. at all What other countries require ID checks for services like Discord ? The U.K.’s implementation of this law is much more unique than you’re claiming.

You don’t need age verification to access all of Discord, just NSFW servers. You can certainly argue that that’s an unjustifiable interference in people’s freedom to access the internet services that they want to access. But please don’t exaggerate.

> You don’t need age verification to access all of Discord, just NSFW servers.

That’s not correct. The Discord support explains that it’s required to change automatic content filtering or unblur any content that gets caught by the automatic filters.

Re: VPN use surges in UK as new online safety rules kick in

#262

Post by theshackleford »

crimsoneer wrote: post #87
tapoxi wrote: post #15

I really don't understand why it wasn't just a requirement for Apple and Google to include a client side filter. Parent sets up the phone and it's enabled by default. Much simpler option for everyone involved.

Because reinforcing a natural monopoly is bad? The law is specifically written to allow a range of different business models etc. Also, because desktops/different browsers are a thing?

> Also, because desktops/different browsers are a thing?

I mean, i'd think primarily this. They may hold a significant marketshare, but they dont hold all of it.

Re: VPN use surges in UK as new online safety rules kick in

#263

Post by lucasRW »

abxyz wrote: post #108
zaptheimpaler wrote: post #27

Basically every new law, piece of news or media I see coming from the UK paints a picture of a beat-down, cynical & scared society that's complacent to or in support of increasing surveillance and control by the government. Like maybe Adolescence or basically any mention of the NHS. The crimes they cite like child grooming or terrorism/hate being incited sound pretty terrible too, but I wonder why the UK specifically…

You are approaching this from a uniquely U.S. perspective. The U.K. is pretty middle of the road as far as “surveillance” and while this may offend the freedom-at-all-costs sensibilities, it’s a fairly milquetoast change. Visiting the Heineken website in the U.S. requires that you assert you are over the age of 21. Texas has instituted I.D. verification for pornography. Regardless of how you feel about this law, it i…

Do you know of other western countries that send cops to your house because you posted memes on X ?

Saying that illegal migrants should be sent back home can literally land you at the police station. A hotel worker was arrested for testifying to what he saw in his hotels, ie. migrants being hosted, given a phone, meals, and NHS visit once every two weeks.

Re: VPN use surges in UK as new online safety rules kick in

#264

Post by ricardobeat »

kelsey98765431 wrote: post #242
gorgoiler wrote: post #63

The VPN trick potentially won’t last long. We’ve seen it go stale already in the world of intellectual property rights. For at least the last ten years Netflix et al have been well aware of which AS numbers / IP netblocks correspond to people sat at home in front of the TV, and which correspond to servers in a rack somewhere (including those hosting VPN endpoints.) One tweak to the rules and all of a sudden not only…

This is just a cat a mouse game. VPN services will start to offer residential endpoints when enough websites start blocking them enough to damage the value proposition. There is no way on the current internet to verify an ip address means anything at all other than it's an ip address.

There is no way to offer “residential endpoints” at scale with sufficient bandwidth for anything other than simple browsing of text websites. As shown by the very effective Netflix strategy of blocking VPN addresses, it’s been very hard to slip through for a good four or five years now.

Re: VPN use surges in UK as new online safety rules kick in

#265

Post by tweetle_beetle »

graemep wrote: post #232
zaptheimpaler wrote: post #27

Basically every new law, piece of news or media I see coming from the UK paints a picture of a beat-down, cynical & scared society that's complacent to or in support of increasing surveillance and control by the government. Like maybe Adolescence or basically any mention of the NHS. The crimes they cite like child grooming or terrorism/hate being incited sound pretty terrible too, but I wonder why the UK specifically…

> I wonder why the UK specifically is taking action - is the issue bigger there, or are they just more aware of and willing to act on it. Other countries are moving in the same direction. The EU has repeatedly tried to push things like on device scanning or banning encryption. > Basically every new law, piece of news or media I see coming from the UK paints a picture of a beat-down, cynical & scared society that's co…

The sugar tax is a strange example to pick as an example of British decline.

As of 2022, the WHO reported on SSB (sugar-sweetened beverages):

> Currently, at least 85 countries implement some type of SBB taxation.

It feels to me like this was a rare step in the opposite direction - recognising that industry is the driving cynical force and pushing back on its over reach where it has failed. Most manufacturers reformulated their drinks immediately to avoid the tax, with what net loss? (The class-targeting comments were a straw man)

https://www.who.int/news/item/13-12-2022-who-calls-on-countr...

Re: VPN use surges in UK as new online safety rules kick in

#266

Post by nashashmi »

This alternative approach is fine. When people use extra money to pay for such services, it boosts economic activity and creates a market-driven filter. If you are economically advanced, you can afford this workaround. If you are not, well you are surrendering to govt safety rules. And thus everything works.

Re: VPN use surges in UK as new online safety rules kick in

#267

Post by lucasRW »

gorgoiler wrote: post #63

The VPN trick potentially won’t last long. We’ve seen it go stale already in the world of intellectual property rights. For at least the last ten years Netflix et al have been well aware of which AS numbers / IP netblocks correspond to people sat at home in front of the TV, and which correspond to servers in a rack somewhere (including those hosting VPN endpoints.) One tweak to the rules and all of a sudden not only…

[flagged]

Re: VPN use surges in UK as new online safety rules kick in

#268

Post by [deleted] »

jampekka wrote: post #233
mytailorisrich wrote: post #216

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's different. Yes, everyone complains about the state of the NHS but the "religion" is that the NHS may not be criticised itself. So it is in a bad state because it does not receive enough money, that's it, nothing else. Any suggestion that the organisation itself might be improved or, god forbid, that patients might pay is indeed usually seen as "blasphemy".

> god forbid, that patients might pay is indeed usually seen as "blasphemy". There are policies that are wildly popular. Free public healthcare is one of such policies in many countries, and perhaps for a good reason.

[deleted]

Re: VPN use surges in UK as new online safety rules kick in

#269

Post by TheOtherHobbes »

mytailorisrich wrote: post #216
mijoharas wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but suggesting the NHS isn't perfect is against the religion here I don't know anyone that doesn't complain about the state of the NHS. The only time I've heard anyone defending it would be when compared to countries without national healthcare (e.g. America).

That's different. Yes, everyone complains about the state of the NHS but the "religion" is that the NHS may not be criticised itself. So it is in a bad state because it does not receive enough money, that's it, nothing else. Any suggestion that the organisation itself might be improved or, god forbid, that patients might pay is indeed usually seen as "blasphemy".

The UK spends about 18% less per capita on the NHS than the EU14 countries do on their health systems.

A lot of that money has gone on stealth privatisation through inefficient outsourcing of contract staff and PFI of infrastructure.

So the actual standard of care is far lower than the funding suggests. And it has been deliberately run down so a US-style system can be implemented.

So yes, the organisation should be improved, but in the exact opposite direction to the one you're suggesting.

The UK's real problem is that it's run by an out-of-touch inbred aristocracy with vast inherited wealth, working through a political system which prioritises stealth corruption over public service.

They don't see why they should contribute anything to the welfare of the peasants. The obligation is all one way - from the peasants to the gentry.

And there's a layer of middle class professionals who have convinced themselves they're the gentry, even though they can't afford to pay their school fees, never mind maintain a huge estate.

So - private ownership good, public spending bad. More sensible countries don't have this attitude problem, and are proud their public services actually benefit the public.

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