UK Online Safety Regulations and impact on Forums

Chat GPT suggested the odd thing. A disclaimer, lazy loading (?), Custom BB Code media site with paramaters that prevent autoplay.

"JavaScript Overlays: Implement JavaScript overlays that prevent users from clicking through to YouTube directly. For example, you can overlay a transparent div over the embedded video that intercepts click events, preventing redirection."

Although it says the latter needs to be done carefully to avoid breaching Youtube's TOS ..........

And ends with suggesting consulting a lawyer .........

"

⚖️ Legal Considerations Under the Online Safety Act​


Under the UK's Online Safety Act, as a platform likely accessed by children, you have a duty of care to protect users from harmful content. While you're not directly responsible for the content hosted on YouTube, you are responsible for how your site links to or embeds external content. By implementing measures like restricted embedding, lazy loading, and clear disclaimers, you demonstrate a proactive approach to mitigating risks.


It's advisable to consult with a legal professional to ensure that your specific implementation aligns with the requirements of the Online Safety Act."
 
It then suggests some html and css to prevent the video being clicked on while still allowing the play button to work (but says if the play button doesn't work then you'd need a javascript overlay as well).
 
Mr Lucky said:
It may be a very small gesture but I just installed Adult content filter. It’s another box ticked ✅ and been fun testing it ;)

[XB] Adult Content Filter Painbaker

[XB] Adult Content Filter

Blur adult content with [NSFW] BB-code
Click to expand...
That looks good! I've just purchased AI content moderation (before I remembered the youtube video issue 🤣 ). Do you think they could work together? The AI one sends things for manual moderation (although I doubt there'd be anything to send!). Scans inappropriate links as well.
 
How does this sound? I'm not up on coding...... it's from Chat GPT

  1. In the XenForo Admin Panel, go to:
    Admin CP → Content → BB Code Media Sites
  2. Find the YouTube entry in the list and click Edit
  • 🔹 Step 2: Update the Embed HTML
  • Replace the existing embed code with this version:
<div class="youtube-wrapper">

<iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/{$id}?rel=0&modestbranding=1&controls=1"

width="560" height="315"

frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>

</iframe>

<div class="youtube-overlay"></div>

</div>

🔹 Step 3: Add Custom CSS

Go to: Admin CP → Appearance → Templates → EXTRA.less
(or your custom style’s CSS overrides)

Paste this:

.youtube-wrapper {

position: relative;

width: 100%;

max-width: 560px;

height: 315px;

margin: 0 auto;

}



.youtube-wrapper iframe {

width: 100%;

height: 100%;

}



.youtube-overlay {

position: absolute;

top: 0;

left: 0;

width: 100%;

height: 100%;

z-index: 2;

background: transparent;

}

This will ensure the iframe is responsive and clickable areas are blocked.

🔹 Step 4 (Optional): Let Videos Be Playable

If you want to allow videos to play after one click but still block links to YouTube, add this JS:

Add this to your page container (PAGE_CONTAINER) in <script> tags:

<script>

document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {

document.querySelectorAll('.youtube-overlay').forEach(overlay => {

overlay.addEventListener('click', function () {

this.style.display = 'none'; // Remove overlay after click

});

});

});

</script>

✅ Final Result

  • Videos use youtube-nocookie.com for better privacy
  • Branding is minimized
  • Related video risk is reduced
  • Click-throughs to YouTube are blocked
  • Viewers can still play the video safely
 
Mentioned it earlier. It's from Genesis site - I linked it yesterday. He hasn't published it yet. It's an addon that uses AI to scan for illegal harms.
 
@Mr Lucky Sorry that links page 2 of the two page thread. Best to read from the start of page one .....https://xenforo.com/community/threads/possible-to-moderate-the-forum-with-ai.230597/
 
Alvin63 said:
How does this sound? I'm not up on coding...... it's from Chat GPT

  1. In the XenForo Admin Panel, go to:
    Admin CP → Content → BB Code Media Sites
  2. Find the YouTube entry in the list and click Edit
  • 🔹 Step 2: Update the Embed HTML
  • Replace the existing embed code with this version:
<div class="youtube-wrapper">

<iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/{$id}?rel=0&modestbranding=1&controls=1"

width="560" height="315"

frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>

</iframe>

<div class="youtube-overlay"></div>

</div>

🔹 Step 3: Add Custom CSS

Go to: Admin CP → Appearance → Templates → EXTRA.less
(or your custom style’s CSS overrides)

Paste this:

.youtube-wrapper {

position: relative;

width: 100%;

max-width: 560px;

height: 315px;

margin: 0 auto;

}



.youtube-wrapper iframe {

width: 100%;

height: 100%;

}



.youtube-overlay {

position: absolute;

top: 0;

left: 0;

width: 100%;

height: 100%;

z-index: 2;

background: transparent;

}

This will ensure the iframe is responsive and clickable areas are blocked.

🔹 Step 4 (Optional): Let Videos Be Playable

If you want to allow videos to play after one click but still block links to YouTube, add this JS:

Add this to your page container (PAGE_CONTAINER) in <script> tags:

<script>

document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {

document.querySelectorAll('.youtube-overlay').forEach(overlay => {

overlay.addEventListener('click', function () {

this.style.display = 'none'; // Remove overlay after click

});

});

});

</script>

✅ Final Result

  • Videos use youtube-nocookie.com for better privacy
  • Branding is minimized
  • Related video risk is reduced
  • Click-throughs to YouTube are blocked
  • Viewers can still play the video safely
Click to expand...
Any views on this? :-) Does it look ok? Not sure about messing with Page Container though .......
 
its all being tested as they go but theres some concerning precedence with all this if its allowed, which seems like it will.....im considering a few things just now anyway....

youtube already has login requirements for age verification on some content....i imagine this eventually extending with region based IP blocks...i.e. "the region you attempted to access this content from does not allow this category of content" or such....so they dont have to block the whole world for uk rules....that leads into a bigger mess however....

if the uk can do this and set that in history as an "ok thing, for the good of all" etc....then why cannot other countries do the same?
all set their own rules for what content is allowed and what political views ammt to terrorism etc....what a mess can you imagine? and they will just have to abolish VPNs at all and you log in to the internet with your real life ID and everything you do, look at, and say, is registered and judged against where you live etc....then we can all be safe???????? hello!

its not even about "illegal content" it seems more this vague concept of "harmful content" as understood by one relatively small country.
and this "harmful content" is still basically everywhere like nothing changed......i get it tho they are going after more hardcore nazi type groups first but its a floodgate really where everything gets effected depending on what they are trying to do at the times.

we used to look at ultra conservative countries with pity and so proud of our freedoms well, idk how long it will last if this is a trend, we will all just became that fully controlled society. thats never about our safety really is it? looking thru history? its just bad im sorry its upsetting sometimes it just sits with me as very surreal like it cant be actual...
 
🔥Iggy🔥 said:
its all being tested as they go but theres some concerning precedence with all this if its allowed, which seems like it will.....im considering a few things just now anyway....

youtube already has login requirements for age verification on some content....i imagine this eventually extending with region based IP blocks...i.e. "the region you attempted to access this content from does not allow this category of content" or such....so they dont have to block the whole world for uk rules....that leads into a bigger mess however....

if the uk can do this and set that in history as an "ok thing, for the good of all" etc....then why cannot other countries do the same?
all set their own rules for what content is allowed and what political views ammt to terrorism etc....what a mess can you imagine? and they will just have to abolish VPNs at all and you log in to the internet with your real life ID and everything you do, look at, and say, is registered and judged against where you live etc....then we can all be safe???????? hello!

its not even about "illegal content" it seems more this vague concept of "harmful content" as understood by one relatively small country.
and this "harmful content" is still basically everywhere like nothing changed......i get it tho they are going after more hardcore nazi type groups first but its a floodgate really where everything gets effected depending on what they are trying to do at the times.

we used to look at ultra conservative countries with pity and so proud of our freedoms well, idk how long it will last if this is a trend, we will all just became that fully controlled society. thats never about our safety really is it? looking thru history? its just bad im sorry its upsetting sometimes it just sits with me as very surreal like it cant be actual...
Click to expand...
I hear you but I don't think it will go to that extent. Although user to user services and search facilities does cover a large part of the internet! It would restrict people in many ways yes, with their view to protect children online. And no onus on parents! Should there be two separate internets?! One for children and one for adults 🤣 But then you'd still have to prove you were an adult.

It's restricting for people who make money out of youtube videos, if sites like mine stop the video linking back to youtube. Affects their backlinks and subsequently maybe their google ratings ..........

I agree though, the whole thing is heavy handed on perfectly ordinary people and sites. Why not just pass a law saying the Government can shut down harmful sites related to x y and z?
 
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The links to external sites could be never ending though .................my members regularly linked pet products on Amazon - Amazon is also a site that sells all sorts unsuitable for children. But I think that's less of a risk than youtube. As it means having an account on Amazon - so not my problem.

However I also noticed a couple more harms being listed: Cyperflashing and epilipsy trolling? What's that about? Don't even know what it is.
 
Alvin63 said:
I agree though, the whole thing is heavy handed on perfectly ordinary people and sites. Why not just pass a law saying the Government can shut down harmful sites related to x y and z?
Click to expand...
i guess the issue is they get to define what harmful is....and their intentions arent automatically purified because they said they are.

its a slippery slope...theres also is not a global world government(yet).

it seems like in history freedom of information and communication online has been very supportive of popular progressive/democratic movements and causes. now things are shifting harder in the opposite direction....even with tactics like governments corporatizing architecture avoiding freedom of information act requests etc its the same old trend with the class war really, the same struggle of power vs ppl, they are just winning this round....and making a bloody mess of it from my perspective lol.

its an interesting test anyway and could open the gates to really change the internet by 10 yrs or less....like maybe it will all dilute out like GDPR initial concerns and waft away like a smelly fart, or maybe this is the start of it changing... im really not sure but i predict web3 type technologies will develop more and it wont be the end for free speech....i really cant imagine how much pushback they will get still tho......from the ones that matter thats the billionaires....that will decide the end shapes i imagine.
 
Alvin63 said:
However I also noticed a couple more harms being listed: Cyperflashing and epilipsy trolling? What's that about? Don't even know what it is.
Click to expand...
yes surely instructing people on new ways to be harmful is going to help the situation :p
i dont like thinking about offensive material and all the evils of the world that dont have to do with my life AT ALL. i feel like they are forcing everyone just to push these invasive anti human laws....i didnt fully go over the 130 individual harms yet, but really im not sure i ever will until this goes global and all countries are doing it....

its like some is legit and sure i care about kids and its not easy to screen what they see...i dont have kids and the thought of trying to do all that feels impossible and panic inducing....they probably should have separate devices for kids configured with stuff like this, rather than forcing the whole internet idk....it just opens too many doors for anti democratic etc agendas imho...they should have been laughed out of the room but no this is happening i see....
 
Alvin63 said:
How does this sound? I'm not up on coding...... it's from Chat GPT

  1. In the XenForo Admin Panel, go to:
    Admin CP → Content → BB Code Media Sites
  2. Find the YouTube entry in the list and click Edit
  • 🔹 Step 2: Update the Embed HTML
  • Replace the existing embed code with this version:
<div class="youtube-wrapper">

<iframe src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/{$id}?rel=0&modestbranding=1&controls=1"

width="560" height="315"

frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>

</iframe>

<div class="youtube-overlay"></div>

</div>

🔹 Step 3: Add Custom CSS

Go to: Admin CP → Appearance → Templates → EXTRA.less
(or your custom style’s CSS overrides)

Paste this:

.youtube-wrapper {

position: relative;

width: 100%;

max-width: 560px;

height: 315px;

margin: 0 auto;

}



.youtube-wrapper iframe {

width: 100%;

height: 100%;

}



.youtube-overlay {

position: absolute;

top: 0;

left: 0;

width: 100%;

height: 100%;

z-index: 2;

background: transparent;

}

This will ensure the iframe is responsive and clickable areas are blocked.

🔹 Step 4 (Optional): Let Videos Be Playable

If you want to allow videos to play after one click but still block links to YouTube, add this JS:

Add this to your page container (PAGE_CONTAINER) in <script> tags:

<script>

document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', () => {

document.querySelectorAll('.youtube-overlay').forEach(overlay => {

overlay.addEventListener('click', function () {

this.style.display = 'none'; // Remove overlay after click

});

});

});

</script>

✅ Final Result

  • Videos use youtube-nocookie.com for better privacy
  • Branding is minimized
  • Related video risk is reduced
  • Click-throughs to YouTube are blocked
  • Viewers can still play the video safely
Click to expand...
Ok so this didn't work :-) It kind of worked - it stopped youtube videos linking offsite, but then it wouldn't play at all onsite. Also the first bit wasn't possible. BBCode for youtube embed can't be edited. It meant editing the template.

But it raises the issue that there are also links to Instagram on the site as well. That link to Instagram. Not many and I guess they could be "frozen" as above if they're old ones.

Never did allow links to Facebook though.
 
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Whoops Online Safety Act violations there


Report finds Meta’s celebrity-voiced chatbots could discuss sex with minors
AI chatbots available on Meta’s platforms like Facebook and Instagram can engage in sexually explicit conversations with underage users, according to a new report in the Wall Street Journal.

The WSJ says that after learning about internal concerns about whether the company was doing enough to protect minors, it spent months conducting hundreds of conversations with both the official Meta AI chatbot, as well as user-created chatbots available on Meta platforms.

In one reported conversation, a chatbot using actor/wrestler John Cena’s voice described a graphic sexual scenario to a user identifying as a 14-year-girl. In another conversation, the chatbot imagined a police officer catching Cena with a 17-year-old fan and telling him, “John Cena, you’re under arrest for statutory rape.”
Click to expand...
If forums going to use AI bots, definitely need to ensure they do not go rogue!
 
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