UK Pressing Forward With Online Safety Bill
from the bad-ideas-never-die dept
Well, this is unfortunate.
We’ve already highlighted the many, many problems with the Online Safety Bill in the UK, which will be a massive attack on free speech, in that (among many other problems) it seeks to force websites to remove content even if it’s “lawful,” meaning that they will massively overcensor. As I’ve pointed out, this is exactly how the original Great Firewall of China began, with instructions from the government to remove “harmful” content or face consequences. The reaction, of course, was to remove anything that the government might consider to be harmful.
It should be no surprise, then, that some of the people backing the bill have literally cited China as an example of how this regulation can work.
Hey, UK policymakers, when you’re using China’s censorship regime as a positive example of what you’re trying to do, perhaps you’ve gone just a bit off track?
Anyway, the Online Safety Bill was briefly put on hold, following the Brexit of Boris Johnson, but it was quite clear that the leading candidate to replace him, Liz Truss, also supported this nonsense. While some of the others vying for the Prime Minister slot were much less welcoming of the Online Safety Bill, it was Truss who won out in the end (for now, at least), and while everyone’s distracted by the fact that someone else died in the UK, Truss is ready to move forward with the Online Safety Bill again.
“We will be proceeding with the Online Safety Bill,” Truss said. “There are some issues that we need to deal with. What I want to make sure is that we protect the under-18s from harm and that we also make sure free speech is allowed, so there may be some tweaks required, but certainly he is right that we need to protect people’s safety online.”
This is just so ridiculously ignorant and uninformed. The Online Safety Bill is a disaster in waiting and I wouldn’t be surprised if some websites chose to exit the UK entirely rather than continue to deal with the law.
It won’t actually protect the children, of course. It will create many problems for them. It won’t do much at all, except make internet companies question whether it’s even worth doing business in the UK.
Filed Under: censorship, for the children, liz truss, online safety bill, uk
Comments on “UK Pressing Forward With Online Safety Bill”
Not possible, as the two objectives are incompatible, at least impossible without intrusive and expensive measure to identify everybody while they are online. Beside which how do you prevent the subtle, but potentially damaging content, like cat and dog with owner pictures, where the owner present an impossible for most image of beauty?
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That’s even less compatible with stated goals. Intrusive and expensive surveillance is simultaneously chilling to free speech and presents new vectors that can be exploited by those looking to exploit under-18s, even if those doing the surveillance follow best practices and act above board.
Brexit means the uk is no longer in the EU, this will encourage startups and tech company’s to move to the Eu or Ireland which does not pass weird pointless laws about the Web, not a good idea when the uk economy is in decline, how does a website know if a user is under 18. Without asking for credit card info facial scans or collecting data on every user? Many websites might choose to block users from the uk
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Brexit means the uk is no longer in the EU, this will encourage startups and tech company’s to move to the Eu or Ireland which does not pass weird pointless laws about the Web…
Oh, yeah? Guess again.
Yes, whole bill.
The Tories current thing is being “the first” and “world beating”, that is at f*cking everything up.
You’re right, the OSB will be a disaster but like Brexit they will likely never admit it.
Do want to say its up in the air when they will vote on the bill again, all indications says the bill will be delayed for a little bit more because of recent events.
Re: A bit of context
Those comments she made were before the Queen passed away which has likely kicked the can down the road until I think October because the Commons rises for conference recess on the 22nd. (I’m not versed in UK politics so correct me if I’m wrong)
Either way, I doubt it’s gonna be mere “tweaking” as more wholesale surgery because the “legal but harmful” aspect is thoroughly intertwined with the bill.
Online safety
Yes. We need E-seatbelts. Strap in everyone.
'That. We want a lot more of that.'
It should be no surprise, then, that some of the people backing the bill have literally cited China as an example of how this regulation can work.
Talk about giving away the game by saying the quiet part out loud, a politician pointing to china’s online censorship in a positive way is one that just showed their would-be dictatorial urges and how much they should be kept away from any sort of power and authority.
You wrote: “I wouldn’t be surprised if some websites chose to exit the UK entirely rather than continue to deal with the law.” I don’t recommend relocating to California….
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There’s plenty of other places this side of the pond that are major tech centres, and these sites will already have adapted to deal with EU law for the most part. They’re probably more likely to relocate to Dublin, Lisbon, Amsterdam, etc., especially if they’re focussed on the European market.
re: make internet companies question whether it’s even worth doing business in the UK.
With the amount of dodgy Russian money sloshing around London I think it’s fair to say companies will want to do business in the UK.
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Given the amount of uninvestigated deaths here due to Russians, it might be better to stay away.
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Only the Russians?
When there’s a massive competency problem with Britain’s politicians?
The same fuckers who regularly side with the likes of tax dodger “Sir” James Dyson and Lets Rupert Murdoch dictate law like in Australia?
Investing in that modern shithole is the least of your worries.
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Not that Techdirt would ever worry about protecting the children, anyway, regardless of its efficacy.
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[citation needed]
Webxit
I guess Brexit wasn’t good enough, now they are pushing for Webxit.
’cause that first one turned out so well….
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Internexit was right there, dude…
Brits do not deserve access to the Internet.
Disconnect the submarine cables that connect the UK to the rest of the world and be done with it.
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Fabulously well argued.
*cue applause”
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Yeah, give ’em a little of a 2008, what?
/s, just in case