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From: AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org>
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech
Subject: Re: Future of online fora
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2025 12:32:03 -0500
Organization: Yellow Jersey, Ltd.
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On 4/3/2025 12:13 PM, Roger Merriman wrote:
> AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
>> On 4/3/2025 10:27 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:
>>> AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
>>>> The forum LFGSS (London Fixed Gear and Single Speed) is
>>>> among the early casualties of The Planners in the UK nanny
>>>> state.  Under the well invoked principle, "Everyone ought
>>>> to, because I say so", newly enacted internet regulation
>>>> makes online providers fully responsible for online content
>>>> including purported crimes of "revenge [whether personal or
>>>> by class], extreme pornography, sex trafficking, harassment,
>>>> coercive or controlling behavior and stalking."
>>>>
>>>> Since interpretation of those can be highly subjective* and
>>>> in light of the huge volume of content, every word of which
>>>> is a possible offense, providers such as Microcosm, who
>>>> wrote the popular group forum software, have deleted all
>>>> activity and more have followed.
>>>>
>>> I’d of thought much more likely due to the boom of Fixed/Single speed bikes
>>> is gone, they where the thing a decade or more ago.
>>>
>>> And likewise website based forums aren’t as popular as they used to, as the
>>> rise of more app based social media.
>>>
>>> So folks have moved on.
>>>
>>> So the value to update the software ie that ran a few forums isn’t there, I
>>> think the developer it was a one man operation was overreacting.
>>>
>>> UK online safety act is clearly intended at Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg,
>>> but it’s probably poorly written, was the last government’s legislation
>>> even if it’s come into force now. And they were trying anything to get out
>>> of the hole they had dug!
>>>
>>> Can’t see it being a priority to sort out by this government any time soon
>>> though!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *c.f. plentiful examples of the last three right here on
>>>> RBT. Or not. That's the nature of subjective evaluation.
>>>
>>> Seems very unlikely after all lots of people being rude to each other
>>> happens on other places.
>>>
>>> Roger Merriman
>>
>> Not for long if Mr Starmer's administration has its way!
>>
> 
> This law has zero to do with him!
> 
> This is dishy Rishi’s work! Note this is time when the Prime Minister had
> been outlasted by a lettuce! And the Government was well not doing its job,
> but attempting to do anything that would make them popular, from cancelling
> the High speed rail service to laws like this.
> 
> This is all on the Tories, who had at that point a huge majority so didn’t
> require any support from any other party.
> 
> Roger Merriman

Thank you I did not know that.

Reportage I read at coffee earlier today said enforcement is 
given to an UK agency called OFCOM who are empowered to fine 
up to ten percent of a firm's annual revenues for violations.

Rules were first published in December 2024 with a 31 March 
2025 enforcement date. Rules include a requirement that 
online providers keep written paper records of assessments 
for each incident to include the "nature and severity of 
potential harm". Apply that to such areas as 'harassment' or 
'stalking' and compliance becomes ridiculous, hence closure 
of hundreds of providers and blocking of UK users by some EU 
providers.

Perhaps as here, administrations come and go but the nanny 
state, with its truncheons for subduing the citizenry, 
continues on its own path.

-- 
Andrew Muzi
am@yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971