UK Online Safety Regulations and impact on Forums

Seriously, it is beyond comprehension that a 'forum owner' who operates a forum on a 'hobby' basis can effectively comply with this act.
 
webbouk said:
Any unqualified attempt at a risk assessment is instantly failed when you read this:

User base demographics​


The demographics of your user base, including users’ protected characteristics, media literacy levels, and mental health, may influence the risk of illegal harm. Vulnerable users, particularly those with multiple protected characteristics, are more likely to experience harm from illegal content and are impacted differently by it. We would expect you to consider these dynamics when you assess the risk of each type of illegal harm.


These dynamics are highly complex and context-specific, and evidence is provided in the Register of Risks (PDF, 4.65 MB) on user base demographics for each kind of illegal harm. This can help you assess this risk factor even if you do not have any service-specific information on the demographic of your user base.
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I also got really bogged down reading all the long guides and it gets quite intimidating. But the "shorter" version for smaller sites seems to suggest the rest of it is more for big organisations (while still expecting you to mitigate).
 
webbouk said:
Seriously, it is beyond comprehension that a 'forum owner' who operates a forum on a 'hobby' basis can effectively comply with this act.
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Well it might be possible if Ofcom provided free age verification software, but the child risk assessment mitigations would very much limit a functional forum IMO
 
One question I have about that "short guide" is this bit

"a specific individual responsible for compliance, who we can contact if we need to."

How do they know who to contact if you only have to keep the records yourself and your name doesn't appear on the site?
 
But not foolproof. I think they just ask for age at sign up. And a child could also sign up with an adult paypal account maybe.
 
I don't think paypal needs age verification because they maybe don't come under the online safety act. And as such are not a reliable age verification in themselves.
 
If you were to make the use of Direct Messaging solely that of a paid user, a site supporter for example, then they would identify themselves through the payment processor, be effectively age verified, and you would restrict the use of DMs to genuine members instead of 'nicknames' thereby having some traceability to an actual person
 
webbouk said:
If you were to make the use of Direct Messaging solely that of a paid user, a site supporter for example, then they would identify themselves through the payment processor, be effectively age verified, and you would restrict the use of DMs to genuine members instead of 'nicknames' thereby having some traceability to an actual person
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A bank account payment wouldn't verify age but paypal might (see above). Although a lot of people don't have paypal, including younger over 18's probably. I think with DM's it isn't just risks to children either, but various other illegal harms if they're not monitored.
 
That's the crux of it though, a paid member is less likely to abuse the system whereas a 'nickname' could do so with impunity. The same goes for interacting with minors. If there was traceability it would also be less likely.
Monitoring all DMs is impractical and tbh could be construed as invasion of privacy.

Let's be honest, if someone wants to send a message to a minor for nefarious reasons they're not likely to come onto a forum to do so where they have to pay to use the messaging service, opening themselves to identification, when there are other free messaging services available such as FB Messenger and WhatsApp
 
True but the act requires you to prevent the possibility. It's a bit nannyish I agree. Like - don't ever cross the road in case you get run over.
 
Two more closed forums I found

Gaming on Linux - read-only page left online plus a separate discord server

SS64 (some kind of scripting/coding forum).

The irony as well of googling this topic - many many forums are discussing on a forum, the Online Safety Act affecting forums ...........just as we are on here.
 
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zappaDPJ said:
It appears the discussion regarding the UK's OSA is going way beyond a few hundred disgruntled small forum owners.

www.theguardian.com

US officials challenge Ofcom over online safety laws’ impact on free speech

Exclusive: State department said to have raised concerns over whether new act diminishes freedom of expression
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

If I recall correctly one of the 'Priority Offences' is 'Foreign interference'... :giggle:
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I'm just glad our servers are not located in the UK. But I do think we need age verification on certain GEO's to be safe.
 
zappaDPJ said:
It appears the discussion regarding the UK's OSA is going way beyond a few hundred disgruntled small forum owners.

www.theguardian.com

US officials challenge Ofcom over online safety laws’ impact on free speech

Exclusive: State department said to have raised concerns over whether new act diminishes freedom of expression
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

If I recall correctly one of the 'Priority Offences' is 'Foreign interference'... :giggle:
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Well Ofcom and the Act put that onus on the forums etc as well! We are also expected to allow freedom of speech as well as prevent harms. Which in theory sounds ok but ........
 
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