LFGSS and Microcosm shutting down 16th March 2025 (the day before the Online Safety Act is enforced)

Discord is good. I'm part of a radio station / music sharing community there (Love Will Save The Day FM) and it works quite well.

The division of channels on Discord isn't quite the same as a forum, but it is a better alternative than WhatsApp or Telegram groups which are very siloed.

I've joined the LFGSS one, thanks to whoever set it up.

Definitely up for a ride and party at the end. Perhaps we can bring a coffin to the door of the DCMS offices.

I've started a thread, with a list, to organise closing day activities:

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/401488/newest

Get over there and get on the list to end all lists.

Whilst you are there, volunteer to help.

Let's make this place end with a bang, and a whimper and a massive fucking SKID.

(Can I get a sticky @Velocio? Pretty please?

And some tags maybe?
Plus some rep?)

What terribly, lazily written legislation.
So infuriating.

Granted there is a need for a (legislative) big stick to deal with the FB/X of the world, but absolutely no thought to the vast number of smaller sites and communities.
Seriously sounds like one or two changed sentences could make this a fit for purpose law. £18M… mad

This is nuts. Can't the forum be given to somebody decent who doesn't give a fuck about the legislation?

Looks like folks are willing to give it a go.

I actually know, I think, two, maybe three of you lot in the real world. The rest of you, are somehow still some of the best people I know.

So relatable!

I doubt I’ll figure out discord.

Give it a go, it is very straightforward.

https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045138571-Beginner-s-Guide-to-Discord

That really fcuking sucks @kl let’s smash this cnut of a disease

For what it's worth they've got a consultation doc out specifying that "the actual penalty amount that we impose in a given case within the penalty maximum is calculated in line with our Penalty Guidelines and must be appropriate and proportionate" so I'm sure there's no intent to get rid of that approach.

The list of criminal offences out also doesn't seem to be the sort of thing you might inadvertently trip, so it may be worth exploring what the risk of disproportionate civil liabilities/Ofcom penalties may be?

To add to all the wonderful stories about the forum: I've met some fantastic people on here and had the pleasure of communicating with many others in threads and through buying and selling stuff. My two nicest bikes were bought on here (or built out of stuff largely built on here).

Particular highlights include selling kids bikes, which was awesome as I knew they'd be used by people who shared my love for cycling to pass it on to the next generation, and also selling a late relative's collection of vintage bike parts for charity.

Most importantly, the friendships that I made on here helped me through a very tough time coming out of a period of depression. I was offered some temporary work, found volunteering opportunities, and ultimately found a new career. For that, I will be eternally grateful for the existence of this forum. Thanks for everything @Velocio

It is most likely the stupidest idea ever, but I guess that at this stage anything goes: the fate of the french side of LFGSS, pignolefixe.microcosm.app, is of course completely tied to that of LFGSS.

I understand that, given the potentially gigantic fine, you don't want to be even a little bit at risk @Velocio. Would passing the reins (on paper) to a french citizen and have a majority french userbase put you comfortably out of harm's way?

If that's the case, could we imagine a merger of some kind? Pignolefixe userbase is unfortunately much smaller than lfgss', but maybe keeping the access limited to currently active lfgss users (until the legislation gets clearer, at least), you might achieve a majority non-UK users on the merged website?

I think, on the french side, we'd all be more than happy to create tens of accounts if needed to tip the scales, though I imagine the legislation will mostly track actually active users.

I don’t know what to say to this news - @Velocio has done such a good job over the years and this is one of three places I frequent every day (the others being STW and Retrobike) and that help sustain my love for all things bike -

I am very sad today

Currently at the top of Hacker News, a very popular technical forum, if anybody wants to read some more technical commentary https://hackerweb.app/#/item/42433044

Thanks @Velocio. Really!

Much like others I don’t use or enjoy other bits of the internet so this will be a great loss. I don’t know anything about anything but hoping there is a way through this.
I’m no longer in London, or the UK but this forum is one of the slivers that make me feel connected to the life I had there. Wonder if mumsnet would host us? Thanks again V and all posters across the odd selection of threads I read, and may the wind etc.

[Edit / was posted above] Oh I read it here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42433044

=(

It is most likely the stupidest idea ever, but I guess that at this stage anything goes: the fate of the french side of LFGSS, pignolefixe.microcosm.app, is of course completely tied to that of LFGSS.

I understand that, given the potentially gigantic fine, you don't want to be even a little bit at risk @Velocio. Would passing the reins (on paper) to a french citizen and have a majority french userbase put you comfortably out of harm's way?

If that's the case, could we imagine a merger of some kind? Pignolefixe userbase is unfortunately much smaller than lfgss', but maybe keeping the access limited to currently active lfgss users (until the legislation gets clearer, at least), you might achieve a majority non-UK users on the merged website?

I think, on the french side, we'd all be more than happy to create tens of accounts if needed to tip the scales, though I imagine the legislation will mostly track actually active users.

This is actually not a bad idea. At least to preserve PignoleFixe and a few of the international forums on this main instance of the server.

I'll investigate moving the servers to a European Linode as PignoleFixe is actually on Linode London. I'll need to work with someone to pass ownership to... and hey PignoleFixe you'll have to finally raise a few donations to pay for it.

Some of the forums are English language, but I don't know where the users are, maybe UK, but could easily be Ireland... this place doesn't require location or track it. On this instance, the primary one, there's about 20 fora, the biggest are LFGSS and PignoleFixe.

Let me look into that tomorrow.

This is worse than the time Darth Vader blew up Alderaan

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Already looked into it, it's relatively easy for me to move the forum to Europe, specifically to Linode Europe in the German datacenter.

I'll do this to at least provide the french forums confidence that there is a path.

I’m not a lawyer or a politician but I’m pretty sure the purpose of the Act isn’t to shut down all online forums and communities in the UK, we’re talking literally hundreds of thousands of forums. Hell, my local church has an online community forum.

This seems rather hasty, perhaps see what the deal is when Ofcom release their online tool for checking compliance in January.

I help to run one of the larger London cycle clubs, we have to deal with risk assessments, safeguarding rules and insurance if something goes wrong, sure it’s admin stuff to do but it’s not impossible. Sounds like people are willing to chip in.

Been very appreciative of this forum for oogling sexy bikes, getting the Sheffield bike polo scene re-animated and the recent purchase of an omnium (that I could never have afforded were it not for lfgss vibes of community based pricing) that has been revolutionary for me and the spawn. Thanks so much @Velocio 🙏💗💗💗 sending you all the love 💗💗💗

This is great news, thanks a lot! Does that potentially open an avenue for LFGSS as well?

Fuck, I feel so sick i could cry.

I'd blocked this possiblity out of my mind since @Velocio first mentioned the threat of this act on the forum.

I genuinely feel heartbroken and sick. This place literally saved my life, i wouldn't be here if not for LFGSS. Outside of my fam, this forum has been one of the only constants of my life since 2009 or 2010. Thank you so much for this haven @Velocio

I haven't read all the comments, but just saw @hippy 's comment about archiving or saving lfgss offline. That has to be possible? Even if the forum isn't usable/ won't persist. Surely there has to be a way to preserve the history of this place :(

Yeah from talking to lawyer friends it seems like this is a really disproportionate response.

Lawyer Mate: I went to a conference by the lead woman in charge of implementing OSA
Me: should we worry or not
Lawyer Mate: We as in who
Lawyer Mate: I mean if you run a social network maybe
Lawyer Mate: Or like online video game
Lawyer Mate: That is really high on the enforcement agenda
Lawyer Mate: A mere forum whilst technically captured
Lawyer Mate: Will be low on enforcement agenda
Lawyer Mate: And require minimal measures beyond what they are doing already
Lawyer Mate: I agree with the assessment that it could be weaponized by dickheads
Lawyer Mate: But ultimately you are quite correct it's doesn't require that much
Lawyer Mate: And besides the guidance on compliance is not fully out
Lawyer Mate: I think the draft guidance is
Lawyer Mate: And shows it's quite simple for most to achieve compliance
Lawyer Mate: But it depends on what service you offer
Lawyer Mate: What you need to achieve for a porn site, Vs social network Vs Kids video game are very different to a mere forum
Lawyer Mate: I expect there will be some guidelines issued for standard forum providers so that its clear what they do and don't have to do

Thanks Nat, so glad you've got an Omnium, they're ace.

Ewww so we end up having our content being monetised by discord instead of protected by Velocio

This has been one of the last havens online where i know and felt relaxed that my shit isn't being flogged off somewhere :(