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

Blue Plaque ride, going around London putting up guerilla plaques of important forum locations. Sponsored and funded by Ofcom.

Blue Plaque ride, going around London putting up guerilla plaques of important forum locations. Sponsored and funded by Ofcom.

I wouldn't want to discourage such behaviour.

Sorry, encourage.

this just reminded me of cicada 3301, as I assumed @sparky wrote the article

https://archive.is/94rzg

Archive link for people who don't like the Telegraph

we made the telegraph! Maybe it is time to shut it all down

Who's going to fo the clever link to avoid the sign up/paywall?

^^ Should have read to the bottom of the thread, first.

James Titcomb

lol titcomb

threaten fines of at least £18m for sites that fail to comply with the laws

cor, that's punchy

I want to write to my MP, but do we have a specific amendment we want to suggest to the bill/enforcement guidelines to make contacting representatives as effective as we can?

Only thing I can think of is a carve out for sites under a certain size. Anyone have any better ideas?

damn, beat me to it

I'm trying to write an article but @Velocio hasn't responded to my DM asking for an interview. I'm trying not to take it personally.

Most important part of the article extracted below:

1 Attachment

Who in their right mind owns and is parking fgss.com?

(If we wanted to make this place location non-specific presumably that’s what it would need to be, right?)

Outrageous!

Yep. In comparison, Ofcom and DSIT were marginally more friendly.

fields, greens and similar spaces?

That’s a forum I’d be happy to join, to be fair

Ummm... I am not exactly a bright legal mind but, could we perhaps not be exempt from this as we do not fit the proposed criteria of:

Condition 1:
• the use of a content recommender system on its service; and
• have more than 34 million UK users on the user-to-user part of the service,
representing c.50% of the UK population.

nor

Condition 2:
• have a functionality that offers users the ability to forward or re-share usergenerated content >with other users of the service; and
• the use of a content recommender system on its service; and
• have more than 7 million UK users on the user-to-user part of the service,
representing c.10% of the UK population.

They are just the two categories of "Large" services.

Much of the act applies to small and medium services.

See https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/online-safety/information-for-industry/illegal-harms/summary-of-our-decisions.pdf?v=387523

I would love nothing more than for this place to carry on unchanged (well, more or less) forever. If it does have to shutter, it will be a genuine blow. I think the way the community has come together to remember and honour someone from among our ranks in the last few days says it all.

I stumbled across this place when I was looking to buy my first "fixie" to get me to and from university, knowing nothing about bikes and not really having an interest in cycling beyond a means of cheap transport. I wouldn't have half of the friends I have now, both forumers and other non-forum losers who are also into bikes if it wasn't for the community here that opened my eyes to the joys of cycling. I've spent the last 7 or 8 years working with bikes in one capacity or another and that wouldn't be the case either without this place. My current job is incredibly rewarding and allows me to help pass that passion on to other people.
I'm just immensely grateful for everything Velocio and the wider community of goons on here have given me.

Whilst I would be gutted to lose this place, I would completely understand the decision. Velocio has already given so much to make this the place it is, it's not at all reasonable to expect even more.

This winter is awfully bleak.

I ll keep my small monthly donation going,
I bet shutting down is costly financily .

I am not on any social media this is the only place I actively follow online.

I have learnt so much on here and taken inspiration from many.

Whether this is the end or not, thanks @Velocio for bringing so many people together from so many different places.

Only thing I can think of is a carve out for sites under a certain size. Anyone have any better ideas?

That's so I've asked for, run by individuals or below a certain size

I'm trying to write an article but @Velocio hasn't responded to my DM asking for an interview. I'm trying not to take it personally.

I replied eventually

BareNecessities will be rejoicing at finally being able to close the gravel thread. The final post should be "just buy an arkose" for posterity in perpetuity

I'm going to start a forum event in celebration

oh wait :(