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

Post by nsteel » Mon, Jul 28, 2025, 4:07 PM UTC

kypro wrote: post #215

cs02rm0 wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The UK is becoming increasingly authoritarian in ways that feel increasingly antagonistic to the majority of the population, regardless of political party. Taxes are rising (with tax take falling), crimes are going unchecked, just mentioning increased immigration gets a lot of people's backs up, but as GDP per capita continues to stall and even fall, the pressure it puts on services is a factor for many. And we're se…

> just mentioning increased immigration gets a lot of people's backs up This significantly underplays the situation here. The UK state views "anti-migrant" views as extreme: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/07/26/elite-police... In the UK attending a protest against putting illegal immigrants from Afghanistan in a hotel by your kids school is likely to have you on a watch list or arrested. This might not sou…

Post by thegrim33 » Mon, Jul 28, 2025, 4:11 PM UTC

Aurornis wrote: post #330

winterismute wrote: post #306

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I always thought linking all the main things not working in the actual world to the alienation caused by too much digital consumption to be wrong/not really making sense. However, gradually, I am getting closer and closer to that conclusion... In your case, what brought you to the stance "Too much social media is what ails the whole world"? What do you think we could do to solve it?

If you go back in history you can find examples of people making the same claims about too much television. Prior to that, too much radio. Prior to that, too much newspaper consumption. A common thread is that when people complain about too much media consumption, they’re always talking about other people consuming other media. Few people believe their own consumption to be a societal level problem. Almost nobody bel…

Post by alias_neo » Mon, Jul 28, 2025, 4:12 PM UTC

octo888 wrote: post #378

alias_neo wrote: post #370

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> Having UK work experience and having talked to thousands of british folks over a decade, I find this hard to believe I only have to look as far as my own wallet to see the effects. I'm being taxed to the eyeballs while there is a glass ceiling preventing me taking any more pay home without a major jump which just isn't coming due to stupid tax rules keeping the working class from bumping into the middle class. I se…

> taxed to the eyeballs Emotional phrases aside, what is your total NI + income tax deduction percentage, and what percentage do you think you should be paying?

Post by dukeyukey » Mon, Jul 28, 2025, 4:14 PM UTC

scarface_74 wrote: post #281

mijoharas wrote: post #200

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> 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).

The one country whose healthcare I’ve studied in depth aside from the US is Costa Rica. Our Plan B is to establish permanent residence there and starting next year we will be spending a couple of months there every winter and maybe in July. Costa Rica has an affordable all inclusive public health care system (Caja). But you can also pay for extra for private healthcare. Is it the same in the UK?

Post by gadders » Mon, Jul 28, 2025, 4:15 PM UTC

12ian34 wrote: post #368

gadders wrote: post #327

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but only total GDP goes up. GDP per person goes down.

Not true in isolation. It depends on the productivity difference between the existing average and those being added.