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

Wounded.

The last of the fixeh forums.

Ain't society a bitch.

Thank you.

I saw this thread when it was initially announced. Still don’t know what to say.

I just hope there’s a fix, and I’m more than happy to contribute in whatever way to try and facilitate that.

I like the sound of moving to be a sub-forum of the pignole (sp?) fixed forum.

Yes please come ! Our community is not as large as yours but we're open and welcoming. And we already had 3 shutdowns so we know how it feels...

Thank you for continuing to try and find a solution. I can’t imagine the pressure/demands on you doing all of this yourself, so completely get it that it’s too much with this new obstacle.
You know for sure that if help is needed to keep this going it will be found amongst the folk on here.

You've already been rewarded for what you've built here and for the help you've given and allowed to be given thru this forum and the others.

You don't need the be "officially awarded" and you know it.

Thank you

I had so many good reads on here, from people battling to survive, all the way up.
Each one had a story to tell, a unique life to go thru and unique battles to fight and there was always help and support on here.

Really gonna miss this :-(

So let's hope a solution can be found!

I have been pondering a legal route.

It seems to me that a test case would be needed. Something that a non-for profit could take in front of a judge to get a decision that protects this kind of site.

I am tempted to chat to contacts I have in the judiciary and the house of lords, to see whether such an approach is viable.

My friend in the Lords might be very interested in helping, this is quite up his street.

But, biggest issue is that this kind of thing would take years. Not months.

That's golf club : 0 )

Go check...

It's not my first rodeo

And just when I thought life was done kicking while down.. this is terrible.

@kl good vibes sent your way!! Fingers crossed.

Not a bad idea, somehow merging the forums to make it foreign enough to leave you alone.. count on our french side to do whatever it takes. Both lfgss and pignolefixe have given me so much, it cannot end this way.

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.

Even if I'm not the most active member anymore, I'm still here if needed. I've set up a small team of moderators to relay me, since my bike shop takes most of my time now.

So of course, we'll do everything on our side to keep this going. Sorry if we haven't been as financially engaged as the users on this side.. 😅

merging the forums to make it foreign enough to leave you alone

They are already going to leave it alone. Ofcom does not have its sights set on a relatively small impractical bicycle forum.

What about :4. Waiting for the Ofcom guidelines in January to come out to see whether this is actually the death knell it may feel like (and it might not be anything to really worry about).

Does Ofcom say what they classify as "large" (as most of the guidelines apply to this category) I feel like that is for big social networks not fairly popular but niche forums.

Suggest a whole new subforum area is needed for various threads about the current situation: possible places for people to migrate to, the rescue plan you just mentioned, final party/ride plans if that doesn't come off and so on.

I've held off commenting mainly because i refuse to believe this could be the end, and because I can't add much to the pages of sentiments already expressed.

This morning's posts give me some hope. I do feel like this thing is too valuable to just let slide away - but I also understand that it all resting on @Velocio's shoulders seems insane.

Here's hoping those infinitely more knowledgeable than me can find a way. If we need more $$$ to keep the show on the road I'm more than happy to increase my monthly donation.

Suggest a whole new subforum area is needed for various threads about the current situation: possible places for people to migrate to, the rescue plan you just mentioned, final party/ride plans if that doesn't come off and so on.

Good idea, done

Suggest a whole new subforum area is needed for various threads about the current situation: possible places for people to migrate to, the rescue plan you just mentioned, final party/ride plans if that doesn't come off, getting the LFGSS book published in time and so on.

Fixt

Check @Velocio 's posts up-thread about disgruntled users reporting LFGSS or any other forum to ofcom just to get their sights on it

This might have been shot down already (we're 14 pages in) but what would be the scope of liability for a cooperative or similar community owned legal entity?

I guess that relies on there being an appetite for the community to operate more like a members association, coop or similar. Perhaps that also comes with things like more stable cashflow (even if it was a token auth fee of £2p.a. or whatever it might be)

If in doubt, collectivise?

or similar community owned legal entity

(ie incorporated association)

A cooperative is a form of governance undepinned by other legal entities such as a limited company or community interest company, CIC.

A CIC may be worth exploring.

Fwiw I know some big companies that are still not cookie compliant, I’d just ignore it.

Caveat: I haven’t read full details.

For everyone saying "just ignore it" are you willing to underwrite the possible significant losses if it isn't just ignorable and something actually happens?

If not, I wouldn't bother suggesting "just ignore it".