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

Have tried condensing it a bit and simplifying some of the language, hopefully that will help.

Dear [local MP],

I am writing to you about the Online Safety Act, due to come into force March 17th 2025.

The act was originally meant to hold large social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter liable for harmful content. Yet it was set out in such broad and vague terms that small online forums - run by sports clubs, hobby societies and other community groups - face being regulated out of existence. Please see the recent news coverage:

Hundreds of websites to shut down under UK’s ‘chilling’ internet laws
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2024/12/17/hundreds-of-websites-to-shut-down-under-chilling-internet/
Death Of A Forum: How The UK’s Online Safety Act Is Killing Communities
https://www.techdirt.com/2024/12/20/death-of-a-forum-how-the-uks-online-safety-act-is-killing-communities/
Hundreds of small websites may shut down due to UK's Online Safety Act
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2461213-hundreds-of-small-websites-may-shut-down-due-to-uks-online-safety-act/
Britain's online safety rules come into force, and sites are already shutting down.
https://boingboing.net/2024/12/18/britains-online-safety-rules-come-into-force-andl-ocal-sites-are-already-shutting-down.html

These forums are extremely important social spaces. They bring people with common interests together, serving as an important outlet for personal development and expression, and combatting loneliness and social isolation. In many cases, these communities exist solely within the realm of their online forums.

Most often the forums are run by volunteers or members of non-profit organisations. Understandably, they are not equipped for the overly onerous and complex compliance effort required to meet the proposals of the act. The personal liability risk in operating these forums poses a serious threat to their survival.

I believe regulation serves an important purpose, particularly where it pertains to the online safety of our children, and applaud its introduction. However, the proposed requirements, in their current form, will have a disproportionate impact on the above mentioned communities.

I therefore politely request that you to look into this matter and intercede with the Secretary of State to consider incorporating changes into the advice received from Ofcom, to align the requirements with the nature, size and resources of these self-organized communities (which are an expression of the centuries-old British tradition of associativism), minimising the impact of the act in their operation and ensuring their continued existence.

Kind regards

@Velocio, thanks for running this website for so long.

From a purley selfish point of view, I'd much rather a gradual enshittification of the forum as it's handed over and no longer guided by the steady hand of velocio, than the day one cold turkey of an instant switch off. 17th March gonna be an absolute head fuck if it happens.

Classifieds- if I post something I know to be untrue with the intention of gaining advantage I think that that post might be illegal content as defined by the act, and something that the site owner is liable for. Anyone got an opinion on the meaning of the text on this?

Classifieds includes risks of fraud, risk of handling stolen goods, in addition to the other risks outlined in the guidance.

Remember that illegal isn't the threshold, "legal but harmful" is the threshold, and the Act says nothing that requires the people involved in the sale to be the ones who were harmed, a reader can be harmed.

Sure- but the content itself becomes illegal because of that, if that makes sense.

This is definitely a fucked up law 🤦

I haven't said thanks @Velocio for your tireless work keeping this place alive. Keeping communities healthy is both an art and a science and you've done a great job of both...

I've been involved with other communities before but LFGSS was the first community that I've been involved that went from online to IRL. I can remember the first event I attended where I asked what someone's real name was and then inevitably what their forum name.

I remember fondly the many IRL events including track days, rides to the coast, bike polo, pedalo racing and also the way that lives were celebrated through weddings and funerals.

I've also find the place an invaluable hive mind for understanding issues and problems well beyond the world of velocipedes. We all come with our own blinkers on and this place has a way of taking them off with new knowledge or different points of view from the mundane to the profound...

Am hoping we find a way forward, but regardless of whether we do, I'll always remember fondly this world

Beautifully put Gus

also perma-ban selling used bibs it should be illegal