#onlinesafetyact

Girl on the Net @girlonthenet@mastodon.social · Aug 06, 2026

This time last year, I wrote about the significant harms of the #OnlineSafetyAct. Depressing that things have got far worse since then. https://www.girlonthenet.com/blog/age-verification-whats-the-harm/

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Neil Brown @neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk · Jul 28, 2026

Ofcom has published an interesting new update into its investigation under the #OnlineSafetyAct into the "suicide discussion forum".

Amongst other bits, this caught my eye:

We recognise that geoblocks are not a perfect solution and do not fully eliminate all risk of harm, especially for individuals who choose to access the forum through VPNs or other similar technologies masking a UK location.

Nevertheless, Ofcom is not pushing further now, suggesting that as long as a provider does not promote VPNs etc as a means of circumvention, a site need not attempt to detect UK users using a VPN.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/illegal-and-harmful-content/investigation-into-an-online-suicide-discussion-forum-and-its-compliance-with-duties-to-protect-its-users-from-illegal-content

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Ret @ret@furry.engineer · Jul 27, 2026

So... after almost a decade of failure in the online regulation space, perhaps some legislative navel gazing is finally about to take place... I encourage every single person negatively affected by the #OnlineSafetyAct to submit evidence here: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/9955/the-online-safety-act-implementation-and-impact/news/217266/online-safety-act-inquiry-launched-by-committee/ If your freedom of expression, security or privacy has been curtailed in any way, however minor, submit evidence. That includes people who have been forced to submit data to unregulated third party age verification processors. That includes people who have had to remove content from their blog or website for fear of censorship and legal harassment by Ofcom - an unelected quango. That includes people who have felt that their speech or artistic expression has been limited. I will be submitting evidence as a website/service operator. #OnlineSafetyAct

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petersuber @petersuber@fediscience.org · Jul 13, 2026

#Wikipedia just dodged a bullet in the UK but is still in danger. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Wikipedia_Signpost/2026-07-13/Special_report The bullet was the possibility of Category 1 classification under the UK Online Safety Act. It was spared that classification but remains on a "watch list" of platforms that "could become Category 1 at any point in the future." If Wikipedia is later classified as Category 1, then either (1) contributors could no longer be pseudonymous or (2) Wikipedia would be subject to severe penalties under UK law. How severe? The maximum penalty could include a fine up to £18 million, a UK-wide denial of access, and personal criminal liability for senior managers. #Anonymity #OnlineSafetyAct #UKLaw

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Neil Brown @neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk · Jul 13, 2026

Another #OnlineSafetyAct update:

Ofcom has published a "Register of categorised services and list of emerging Category 1 services".

Category 1 services - to which the most substantive obligations under the OSA apply - comprises:

Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
Quora
Reddit
Roblox
Snapchat
TikTok
WhatsApp
X
YouTube

The list of emerging Cat 1 services is interesting:

iMessage
Messenger
Threads
Wikipedia

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/illegal-and-harmful-content/register-of-categorised-services-and-list-emerging-category-1-services

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sͧb̴ͫƸ̴gͬᵉ @subm3rge@infosec.exchange · Jun 30, 2026

Perhaps the responsible thing to do is to destroy any network where #chatcontrol or #OnlineSafetyAct is active. To keep the less aware, less knowing, and less caring from hurting themselves. Perhaps those [of us] with knowledge have a duty to burn it down, before it becomes a tool of [further] oppression. I really really miss the 90:s Internet, and some days it hurts badly. We really allowed a good thing to go to $#!7, perhaps we need to start over.

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Open Rights Group @openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org · Jun 19, 2026

The UK government could announce restrictions on VPNs next month. This would threaten our privacy and security. VPNs keep young people safe from harassment. Businesses secure. Journalists, activists and whistleblowers protected. Here's why we must #ProtectVPNs 🧵 Sign the petition if you agree ⬇️ https://action.openrightsgroup.org/tell-government-protect-vpn-use-uk #vpn #vpns #cybersecurity #privacy #onlinesafety #onlinesafetyact #ageverification #StopKillingTheInternet #ukpolitics #ukpol

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Open Rights Group @openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org · Jun 15, 2026

Social media bans don't work. Yet it's happening globally as leaders try to grab headlines with creeping digital ID checks. This doesn't take on how platforms are designed to capture users' attention with harmful content through data-driven algorithms so they can sell ads. ORG's @JamesBaker@social.openrightsgroup.org explains ➡️ https://peertube.openrightsgroup.org/w/bBTjPwubE92HMVGtt9dN2Z #stopKillingInternet #socialmediaban #socialmedia #onlinesafety #onlinesafetyact #privacy #censorship #ukpolitics #ukpol #kierstarmer

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Open Rights Group @openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org · Jun 15, 2026

Boosted by

Dragofix @Dragofix@veganism.social

Replying to @openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org

A global movement to #stopKillingInternet is coming. Bans will wall off the open Internet. Kids locked out and adults pushed through digital ID checks. Connection and access to information is being swept away for a policy that leaves platforms free to continue promoting harmful content for profit. Find out more ➡️ https://www.stopkillingtheinternet.com/ #socialmediaban #socialmedia #onlinesafety #onlinesafetyact #privacy #censorship #ukpolitics #ukpol #kierstarmer

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The Unknown Universe @unknownuniverse@unkn.uk · Jun 15, 2026

Boosted by

Trending Bot @trending@homestead.social

The UK PM has just announced an under-16 social media ban. This is the 'Trojan Horse' in action. You cannot enforce a ban without an Age Verification layer, and you can’t have Age Verification without a National Digital ID or bio-metric database. They are using the 'child safety' card to build a mandatory surveillance gate for the entire internet. Between the new taxes and the constant bans, it’s clear this government has zero respect for personal agency or digital sovereignty. If you aren't already moving your data off the cloud and into your own home lab, start now. The gap between our current society and a total surveillance state just got a whole lot smaller. #UKPolitics #OnlineSafetyAct #Privacy #Surveillance #DigitalID #AgeVerification #MassSurveillance #DigitalRights

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Neil Brown @neil@mastodon.neilzone.co.uk · Jun 15, 2026

And here's the official announcement of age verification coming to everyone in the UK who wishes to use "social media":

Social media to be banned for under-16s in landmark government move to give kids their childhood back

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/social-media-to-be-banned-for-under-16s-in-landmark-government-move-to-givekids-their-childhood-back

#OnlineSafetyAct

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Mx Verda @MxVerda@lgbtqia.space · May 17, 2026

Replying to @MxVerda@lgbtqia.space

Oho...? https://www.tumblr.com/hrhowling/816817207863558144 https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/growing-up-in-the-online-world-a-national-consultation #UK #UnitedKingdom #OnlineSafetyAct #SnoopersCharter #OnlineSafety #internet #DigitalID #Age #AgeVerification

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Mx Verda @MxVerda@lgbtqia.space · May 17, 2026

Replying to @MxVerda@lgbtqia.space

@ people with kids, wards, young people, duty of care, friends of, family of, neighbours of, and whatever else: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/growing-up-in-the-online-world-a-national-consultation #UK #UnitedKingdom #OnlineSafetyAct #SnoopersCharter #OnlineSafety #internet #DigitalID #Age #AgeVerification

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Mx Verda @MxVerda@lgbtqia.space · May 17, 2026

Replying to @MxVerda@lgbtqia.space

" we need to consider whether additional measures could build on our existing approach and ensure the UK remains the safest place for children to be online. [...] What happens next This consultation will close on the 26 May 2026. The government has committed to taking swift action on its findings. On 16 February 2026, the Prime Minister announced new legal powers to allow the government to act swiftly after the consultation response, without waiting for new primary legislation. We will publish our response in summer 2026. " https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/growing-up-in-the-online-world-a-national-consultation #UK #UnitedKingdom #OnlineSafetyAct #SnoopersCharter #OnlineSafety #internet #DigitalID #Age #AgeVerification

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Open Rights Group @openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org · Mar 06, 2026

Ending online harms isn't a game of whack-a-mole. The only way is to bust the business model that rewards harmful results. Nothing changes until we break the spell that keeps us on platforms; the harvesting of our data to maximise engagement and fuel advertising. We need to get off the regulatory treadmill and #BreakBigTech. Sign the petition ⬇️ https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/break-big-tech #OnlineSafety #OnlineSafetyAct #bigtech #meta #x #musk #zuckerberg #ukpolitics #ukpol

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Police State UK @PoliceStateUK@mastodon.me.uk · Feb 22, 2026

"British politicians and authorities are working intensively to escalate #censorship and mass #surveillance. In just the past year alone, they have attempted to force Apple to (secretly) install backdoors in its end-to-end encrypted cloud service; censorship has been introduced with the #OnlineSafetyAct; proposals for client-side scanning and government spyware on all UK phones..." #UKPol https://mullvad.net/en/and-then/uk

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Freezenet @freezenet@noc.social · Jan 28, 2026

Pornhub to (Mostly) Block the UK Over Ridiculous Age Verification Laws Pornhub says that UK access to its site will cease as of February 2nd for most users, giving people more incentives to use things like VPNs. https://www.freezenet.ca/pornhub-to-mostly-block-the-uk-over-ridiculous-age-verification-laws/ #Business #Censorship #News #AgeVerification #Aylo #OnlineSafetyAct #Pornhub #UK #VPN

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Tom Morris @tommorris@mastodon.social · Jan 02, 2026

Boosted by

Charlie Stross @cstross@wandering.shop

RE: https://cyberplace.social/@GossiTheDog/115826683070912702

The UK government’s official internet policy:

if you run a web forum or fedi instance, you need to do a bunch of paperwork to comply with the #OnlineSafetyAct to protect the kids.
if you are rich and run a neo-nazi website with officially posted virtual CSAM, politicians won’t leave despite that being a million times worse than anything you’d read on a forum about fixed gear cycling or a mastodon server run by some queer furries running arch for their polycule.

Incredibly coherent.

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