LFGSS and Microcosm shutting down 16th March 2025 (the day before the Online Safety Act is enforced)
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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Lawyer Mate: I think the draft guidance is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
crack_squirrels-
Lawyer Mate: I agree with the assessment that it could be weaponized by dickheads
The key part which takes the risk from low to medium IMHO.
Medium risk of a high liability... is too high a thing for me to accept.
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I believe that the thing that you both are not taking into account is that @Velocio would have to bear the weight of the sliver of possibility that things might go wrong. Given what's at stake, the likelihood of that happening doesn't matter much, unless it's zero without a shadow of a doubt.
This is very different from dealing with trolls: the judicial system is a terrifying beast, and I understand why someone wouldn't want to be in harm's way, even if the odds are infinitesimal.
Until there's a way to make sure that @Velocio is completely, undoubtedly safe, this is not about "a proportionate response".
My apologies if I'm completely missing the mark @Velocio.
Velocio
Veblen
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.