FAO/FYI: All Playgrounders with UK Friends Here - Why UK Users May Soon Become Scarce

[Susurration]

There are no restrictions and there are no plans to outlaw vpns in the UK. However it is a criminal offence to use one to bypass online safety restrictions I.e. giving access to a minor for illegal use.

This is correct.

In addition, it is, at best, a grey area as to whether an adult using a VPN to bypass the age verification process is also a criminal offence. The lawyer with whom I spoke a while back said to me that using a a VPN to bypass the age verification would be against the law. I am not going to take any risk and I certainly do not wish to break the law.

 

[Susurration]

How does the age verification work? At what point are you blocked?
Can you through through using duck duck go?

I missed these questions yesterday. In short, you receive an age verification page blocking access to the site and it tells you what you are required to do to gain access. Using Duck Duck Go makes no difference.

 

[KuriousCupid]

You are welcome to come to the UK and experience it for yourself. It is enforced. It has happening and, as I have mentioned elsewhere, this the only NSFW site that I can still access. All others that I used to access are now blocked unless you comply with age verfication requirements.

Motherless and some of the chans do not comply and still there, Ofcom is now going after them and that will be case studies of how it is being enforced.

 

[KuriousCupid]

This is correct.

In addition, it is, at best, a grey area as to whether an adult using a VPN to bypass the age verification process is also a criminal offence. The lawyer with whom I spoke a while back said to me that using a a VPN to bypass the age verification would be against the law. I am not going to take any risk and I certainly do not wish to break the law.

If all your traffic goes through an always on vpn you never see any verification queries so there is no intent?

 

[joclfc]

I missed these questions yesterday. In short, you receive an age verification page blocking access to the site and it tells you what you are required to do to gain access. Using Duck Duck Go makes no difference.

But im guessing all the users on here are 18+?

 

[Susurration]

If all your traffic goes through an always on vpn you never see any verification queries so there is no intent?

You would need to ask someone competent in the law. I can only tell you what I've been told by someone who is a qualified lawyer.

But im guessing all the users on here are 18+?

They should be. Those are the rules. I am not sure what you are asking though because lots of other sites that are for eighteen or over have been required to implement this legislation and that is what I was referring to with this particular reply to an earlier question.

 

[Liptease]

So basically those that is there to protect will be steered to sites that have zero concern for online safety... not sure what the solution is, but thus isnt it.

 

[KuriousCupid]

I can’t see how that will actually happen. I think they are more likely to try to ban vpns , but I think the new act is unenforceable.

When it comes to Lit there is an interesting edge case here re NSFW writing as everybody can access works of literature with NSFW passages in them in electronic collections from within UK public libraries. Famous court cases have been won to ensure such works are not censured. Likewise, Project Gutenberg and Internet Archive does not run any checks either for such works. Lit as lit might be able to mount an interesting defence here should that letter arrive..

 

[joclfc]

You would need to ask someone competent in the law. I can only tell you what I've been told by someone who is a qualified lawyer.

They should be. Those are the rules. I am not sure what you are asking though because lots of other sites that are for eighteen or over have been required to implement this legislation and that is what I was referring to with this particular reply to an earlier question.

Well as a question, I've got porn on my fire stick and at the moment anyone can access that

 

[Saltfountain]

Well as a question, I've got porn on my fire stick and at the moment anyone can access that

That's a euphemism, right?

 

[joclfc]

That's a euphemism, right?

Well im not using a VPN if that's what you mean SF

 

[PleasureTime01]

I am not around anywhere as much as I used to be any more and I almost never start topics, but it seems to me that few people outside of the UK, and possibly a number of people in the UK, are not aware of new legislation that comes into force on 25 July in the UK. For an overview of what it means in practice, please see: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ceq7ye3q2zwo . The short version is that if any of you find that the UK members here suddenly disappear, stop posting, and/or do not respond to messages, it is likely to be because we can no longer access for the forum.

Hopefully, it does not come to pass, but if it does, well, you have advance notice of why UK members may no longer be around. We will only find out for certain whether and how this affects this forum on 25 July. Just in case, if there are any UK users who you want to keep in touch with, I'd suggest exchanging other methods of contact information via personal message before it is too late.

Please can I ask that this topic is not turned into a debate about the rights and wrongs of the legislation. This topic is simply for information purposes. Stay safe everyone and keep in contact with those who you care about and cherish. May it not be the last time that we all meet here.

Apologies if someone else has said this but there is an easy work around that’s perfectly legal and in the age where people like to steal your identity for gain, reduce the chance of identity theft happening.

Just get a VPN and set it to connect via a country where this law or similar does not exist.

There are even free VPNs and I’m not going to recommend any as that could be viewed as a commercial activity.

Happy surfing