VPNs and Online Safety Act

[Kerwin]

So with the introduction of the Online Safety Act a couple of days ago a lot of people have signed up to VPN providers to bypass the age verification tests. I've done it myself as I don't want to give personal data to random age verification sites and other sites. It is not just porn sites that are affected either. NSFW sub-reddits are also included along with things like alcohol and tobacco. Also apps on app stores and a number of other things.

It isn't going to take very long for under 18s to realise they can bypass all of this with a VPN so the law seems somewhat pointless. On the plus side if you had shares in a VPN company you have probably made quite a bit of money .

 

[Porky]

Its truly shocking that we have a government that really lacks basic commercial sense - not just wasted time thinking this totally pointless act up but how many colleagues and "experts" in government was this passed by and yet not one of them pointed out the bleeding obvious - you couldn't make it up, you just couldn't.

 

[ThatDevAaron]

Stop watching adult content guys its 2025 ;{

 

[Kerwin]

Stop watching adult content guys its 2025 ;{

That is the thing though. So much counts as adult content. Does having swear words on your blog make it adult content? Does watching documentaries about the holocaust make it adult content? Does promoting certain political parties make it adult content?

By requiring age verification for something so ill defined as "adult content" it just doesn't make sense. Lots of websites could come under the umbrella of adult content and therefore require age verification.

 

[fisicx]

Stop watching adult content guys its 2025 ;{

That’s not the point of the thread. The point is this age verification doesn’t work. It’s so easily avoided as to make the legislation pointless.

 

[MikeJ]

Peter Kyle (the minister responsible) was on TV this morning saying they were expecting to block 50-90% of minors accessing adult content. It's worth remembering the last government planned something similar, but via the ISP rather than individual users. I'm sure they realise it's not going to be perfect, but it's a start.

 

[Kerwin]

Peter Kyle (the minister responsible) was on TV this morning saying they were expecting to block 50-90% of minors accessing adult content. It's worth remembering the last government planned something similar, but via the ISP rather than individual users. I'm sure they realise it's not going to be perfect, but it's a start.

I'm highly sceptical of 50% to 90% of minors not figuring out that a VPN solves the problem.

 

[fisicx]

I'm highly sceptical of 50% to 90% of minors not figuring out that a VPN solves the problem.

When I was a teacher we blocked all sorts of sites (eg YouTube, Facebook etc). Usually only took them a couple of days to find a workaround. It was constant game of finding out their hack and blocking again.

 

[scstock]

Its truly shocking that we have a government that really lacks basic commercial sense - not just wasted time thinking this totally pointless act up but how many colleagues and "experts" in government was this passed by and yet not one of them pointed out the bleeding obvious - you couldn't make it up, you just couldn't.

The Online Safety Act was brought in by the last Conservative government.

 

[Porky]

Couldn't care less which group of idiots came up with the idea first, fact is despite all the things that need fixing they are actually running with this one - shocking.

Its absolutely pointless and further will it stop young girls being sent dic pics from idiotic boys on their mobiles during lunch breaks?dont think so - that nonsense that needs dealing with still continues.

If you want to reduce children's exposure to harmful material banning school aged kids from owning a smart phone would probably be a good start - phones for calls only until over 18.

 

[Justin Smith]

Its truly shocking that we have a government that really lacks basic commercial sense - not just wasted time thinking this totally pointless act up but how many colleagues and "experts" in government was this passed by and yet not one of them pointed out the bleeding obvious - you couldn't make it up, you just couldn't.

It's about virtue signalling.

 

[Justin Smith]

Stop watching adult content guys its 2025 ;{

What has the fact it's 2025 got to do with it ? Are you saying the fact it's 2025 makes it more unsavoury than it was in 2005 ? And if so why ?

 

[scstock]

If you want to reduce children's exposure to harmful material banning school aged kids from owning a smart phone would probably be a good start - phones for calls only until over 18.

Are you seriously advocating for banning under 18s from owning a smart phone, whilst also saying the government "really lacks basic commercial sense " ?

If the parent owned the device but the child used it, would that be OK? If not, how would you even begin to police that?

Just like all the online verifications we all have to do multiple times a day it is an inconvenience, but I think a price worth paying to stop adolescent boys being brought up being able to access hard core porn at the touch of a button.

 

[fisicx]

I think a price worth paying to stop adolescent boys being brought up being able to access hard core porn at the touch of a button.

Except it’s not going to do that. Adolescents will still be able to access anything and everything. Evading the controls is simple and quick.

 

[Kerwin]

but I think a price worth paying to stop adolescent boys being brought up being able to access hard core porn at the touch of a button.

They've been doing that since the 1990s.

 

[Porky]

@scstock
Im saying ban smart phones in schools, allow phones just for calls only.
It won't stop them using smart phones at home bUt would at least eliminate unwanted messages during a school day and keep them focused on school work

As for this act.its a total utter waste of time and yes I think the current government lack any commercial sense whatsoever, its a pointless load of tosh, pointless, ill thought out and doesnt work. I would go as far as to say it will have zero Impact on adolescents accessing adult content

 

[thetiger2015]

phones are banned during the school day anyway? At least at my child's school, if the teacher saw a phone they'd confiscate it and a parent would have to collect at 5pm.

I also recommend you all read the actual bill, in full, not just the headline. It goes a lot further than just blocking unsavoury websites.

 

[scstock]

Except it’s not going to do that. Adolescents will still be able to access anything and everything. Evading the controls is simple and quick.

And yet time spent on porn websites is already down by a third

Time spent on porn websites down by a third after age crackdown

New laws require all users to undergo verification checks when visiting sites

www.telegraph.co.uk

 

[fisicx]

And yet time spent on porn websites is already down by a third

That just means fewer visits are tracked