Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

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

ft.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

591–600 of 1001 posts

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

#591

Post by mulmen »

nemomarx wrote: post #522
blendo wrote: post #483

I need to prove my age to buy a lottery ticket or purchase alcohol. The merchant typically doesn't save my id info. What if I could purchase a unique QR code, good for maybe a month, that I could use online to prove my age? There'd still be problems in the US with 1st amendment issues, but I'd at least remain anonymous.

This reminds me that when payment processors cut off an adult site in Japan, they were able to fall back on users paying for points in cash at convenience stores instead or something like that. Not a bad system really? Pseudo anonymity and avoids some third party tech firm getting involved?

How is this different from a VPN? You don’t know that the purchaser is the user.

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

#592

Post by mulmen »

staplers wrote: post #493
blendo wrote: post #483

I need to prove my age to buy a lottery ticket or purchase alcohol. The merchant typically doesn't save my id info. What if I could purchase a unique QR code, good for maybe a month, that I could use online to prove my age? There'd still be problems in the US with 1st amendment issues, but I'd at least remain anonymous.

I don't think anyone has a problem with verifying their age. What many people do have a problem with is requiring disclosure of unmodifiable biometric data and government documents that once "hacked"/sold into the data collection pipeline becomes forever tainted and easily stolen. You can't "reset my password" with biometric data once a malicious actor has it

I have a problem verifying my age or any other piece of information that isn’t critical to whatever service you are providing to me. Beyond that it’s none of your or anyone else’s damn business. If you don’t have a legally issued warrant then leave me the hell alone. This isn’t an area for compromise.

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

#593

Post by Zak »

data-ottawa wrote: post #468
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.

Adding a browser header field would be sufficient, could be easily integrated into the OS and browser, and would let developers handle this issue in a few hours worth of effort. ID verification is such an invasive measure and prone to the exact same failures as the simplest solutions.

I like this solution, integrated with whatever existing parental controls are in the OS.

That would empower parents to keep their kids from accidentally or casually accessing porn. Of course, an intelligent and determined teenager will probably find a way around it, which is also good; then they've learned a bit about computers.

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

#594

Post by dgroshev »

zaptheimpaler wrote: post #569
dgroshev wrote: post #300

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's the combined power of the worst tendencies of the media and a deliberate propaganda campaign. Take this law: it's not new, it was passed in 2023 by the previous government. The law had a two year deadline attached to it, and companies didn't introduce any restriction before the deadline. The new government has a lot on its plate, so it's hardly surprising that repealing a law that was already passed with littl…

I'd like to believe this is true. Maybe all the shit is just increasing disconnection between media portrayals and reality.

I have receipts for every point, just didn't want to post a wall of links.

It's not just emergent disconnection, there are many documented cases ([1][2][3] etc) of nation states trying to sow division and fear. The impression that you got is a good example of them succeeding.

[1]: https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/dozens-of-pro-indy-accounts-...

[2]: https://cyber.fsi.stanford.edu/news/new-whitepaper-telling-c...

[3]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_web_brigades

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

#595

Post by FirmwareBurner »

pembrook wrote: post #490
wnevets wrote: post #472

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…

So if we’ve agreed with OPs assessment that the problem in the UK is the government attempting to seize more power…how will becoming subjects of yet another government body that is even more powerful and less beholden to the people…help things? The EU might be better on digital privacy right now, however the emotional winds of the political mob change often and many people in EU government feel differently. The EU is…

[flagged]

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

#596

Post by ionwake »

ionwake wrote: post #253

Just a reminder “Brexit” happened just a few years ago. Suddenly no British man can be more than 3 months in another European country before being “banned”. You can’t even move to Switzerland and setup a company. Yes technically it’s possible but I was told my a Swiss accountant “just don’t bother trying unless you can get a European passport - if you can” This is from personal experience. As odd as it sounds Brexit…

Alot of people seemed surprised, that I was surprised.

I was surprised, because I dont follow politics.

I just sort of stumbled upon issues when travelling around Europe.

The point of my comment is not that I was surprised, but that Brexit "happened", from my pov. Im sure many others understood the repercussions like gifted clairvoyant giraffes before it occurred, but I alas did not.

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

#598

Post by gizajob »

areoform wrote: post #241
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…

> Taxes are rising (with tax take falling) > just mentioning increased immigration One of these seems like the solution to the other. > as long as those people leaving are straight, white males, or their families, they're being told "good riddance" regardless of the brain drain and loss of tax income Having UK work experience and having talked to thousands of british folks over a decade, I find this hard to believe.…

Yeah totally agree - whether it’s Keir or Boris or whoever in charge, the one thing I want to scream at them is “turn the ‘net off! Turn it off!” People are simply too stupid to handle social media. If I was in charge of authoritarian Britain the first thing I’d do would be to flip the serious switches in the big network cabinet down at GCHQ.

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

#599

Post by Noumenon72 »

alias_neo wrote: post #370
areoform wrote: post #241

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Taxes are rising (with tax take falling) > just mentioning increased immigration One of these seems like the solution to the other. > as long as those people leaving are straight, white males, or their families, they're being told "good riddance" regardless of the brain drain and loss of tax income Having UK work experience and having talked to thousands of british folks over a decade, I find this hard to believe.…

> 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…

What does "not exactly the milky bar kid" mean? That you're not white or set for life?

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

#600

Post by dbtc »

tim333 wrote: post #440
grishka wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is how it worked out in Russia. First, around 10 years ago, they adopted very limited laws that required ISPs to block websites. Things like drugs and suicide, with the classic rationale "won't someone please think of the children". Then piracy websites were added to that. Fast forward to now, ISPs were mandated to install black-box "ТСПУ" devices on their networks, "to protect against threats", so now Roskomnad…

I think the UK govt is a bit more chilled about it all than Putin.

But it sounds like it's been a progression in the same direction for both nations, so you could say something like

Britain 2025 == Russia 20??

(and not just for those 2)

Post reply on HN