So would this prevent the ability to link youtube videos altogether? Some members used different streaming sites .... I think imgur, vimeo and another one I can't remember, have been used before - for video links. It would help to be able to "block" video links being posted though - while leaving the ability to upload photos (with exif data removed).
UK Online Safety Regulations and impact on Forums
- Thread starter lazy llama
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Agree. And that is ok if it's just the basic risk assessment and mitigations. It gets a whole lot more if the Child Risk Assessment is necessary as well. The extra paperwork isn't so much the issue as the amount of mitigation needed.
However, I think a site with plenty of moderators would meet it.
Mr Lucky
Well-known member
I know quite a few who would, and this is especially true if you have a uk based forum that has tried very hard (with some small but notable measure of success) to recruit members from a North America based competitor.
No it would I think stop embedding. To stop linking you could just use the censor for YouTube URLs. It won’t stop there being a link there, albeit a broken one that doesn’t work.
Our membership was "global". There wasn't really a "rival" site. And while most members were from the Uk, others were not just from the US and Canada and from many other countries too - singapore, spain, finland, denmark, italy, holland and various other countries. Not Germany - they had their own site. There was one other similar site that was predominantly US but it was extremely quiet and a different kind of site altogether. Although yes it might pick up some US members but I don't think they'd like it. So far they've mostly stuck in the same group as a lot had Instagram accounts already as well. But many have nowhere to go now and haven't showed up. Mine had top google ranking. Which I had worked hard for! The XF software made it attractive to people too.
It may not have been that busy with only a dozen or so daily posters, but it was there - and people anywhere could join if they needed info or to ask a question. (Unless they were from Romania or Russia! Those were invariably spammers and easily spotted or weeded out by spam software).
People in singapore and other countries often needed help and tips on how to make stuff themselves as the welfare and supplies weren't available in those countries.
Wouldn't surprise me if the smaller US site isn't even aware of the OSA.
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No further on with age verification. I am left with the Shufti Pro option of $700 up front (about £543), a developer to integrate an API and charging for registration. While I might consider paying the £543 as a one-off, I don't really want to charge people to register (and there is still the API to be developed) and wouldn't be able to afford to cover the cost long term.
I've just asked Shufti if their solution is for any country or restricted to certain countries.
Now of course if all these bigger sites were child compliant - youtube, Facebook, X etc - it wouldn't matter if links led there presumably! But I can't see much of a change in any of them. And if they limited to over 18's then they still wouldn't be suitable links.
To make the whole internet child compliant, would probably virtually shut the internet down altogether! So I suspect most of the bigger players will go for age restriction and verification. Although they don't seem to have yet - maybe they will be 16 April.
I've just asked Shufti if their solution is for any country or restricted to certain countries.
Now of course if all these bigger sites were child compliant - youtube, Facebook, X etc - it wouldn't matter if links led there presumably! But I can't see much of a change in any of them. And if they limited to over 18's then they still wouldn't be suitable links.
To make the whole internet child compliant, would probably virtually shut the internet down altogether! So I suspect most of the bigger players will go for age restriction and verification. Although they don't seem to have yet - maybe they will be 16 April.
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zappaDPJ
Well-known member
I think we are at risk here of treating the wrong organization as the bad guy. If you run your site in total isolation from the rest of the internet it will be to the detriment of your members and ultimately, your site.
In well over 20 years I can only recall having to remove two YouTube videos from any site, one showing the televised death of Tommy Cooper and the other made by a couple of 'furries' which contained content I deemed not age appropriate for that forum.
My point is OFCOM has yet to provide a finished or workable solution to their stated aim and until they do and the more major platforms start to implement compliance I wouldn't take any action that permanently removes value from your site.
As I said before, all that's required right now is a risk assessment.
In well over 20 years I can only recall having to remove two YouTube videos from any site, one showing the televised death of Tommy Cooper and the other made by a couple of 'furries' which contained content I deemed not age appropriate for that forum.
My point is OFCOM has yet to provide a finished or workable solution to their stated aim and until they do and the more major platforms start to implement compliance I wouldn't take any action that permanently removes value from your site.
As I said before, all that's required right now is a risk assessment.
And a Child Risk Assessment. The site was heavy in youtube videos
The videos themselves were fine - but they link to youtube in its entirety. The site is effectively closed and offline, since 16th March. I just can't quite accept it so looking at possible solutions to start it up again - without too much cost to myself, feasibly, and without dumbing it down too much.
zappaDPJ
Well-known member
I don't recall that being eventuality being by covered by OSA e.g. if you link to age appropriate content on an external site I don't see how you can be held accountable for any other content held there. Surely that's the responsibility of the linked site?
I get that, I've disabled personal messaging on a couple of sites but that's as far as I'll go until I can get more clarity.
Not for the main risk assessment - for the child risk assessment - which not everyone will need to do I think. But a site like mine would need to do - unless I had age verification software. Out of the volumes of lengthy guides, I can't remember which bit it was but in terms of mitigating risks for children there was mention of links to places that may cause online harm. ie your site could be a direct link to a site that wasn't suitable for children.
Lee
Well-known member
And a Child Risk Assessment. The site was heavy in youtube videos
Here is what ChatGPT understands;
This is also my understanding.Great question — and it gets into a grey area, but here's the clearest breakdown under the UK Online Safety Act 2023.
A user on your site clicks on a safe embedded YouTube video, and then keeps browsing YouTube, eventually encountering harmful content not embedded, linked, or curated by you.
The Online Safety Act targets platforms that allow user-generated content and fail to mitigate risks on their own platform. YouTube’s recommendation system and its content fall under YouTube’s own responsibility (and their obligations under the OSA, since they're a regulated service).
- The embedded video itself is appropriate.
- You are not recommending harmful content or using algorithms/plugins that do.
- The user’s journey into harmful content happens after leaving your site’s control, even if it started with an embedded video.
- You don’t have editorial control over what YouTube recommends next.
You're more exposed if:
What
- Your site intentionally embeds content to bait users into rabbit holes of harmful stuff.
- You're embedding harmful channels, playlists, or videos as a pattern.
- You’re somehow monetising or algorithmically curating these user journeys.
Even though you're not liable in that scenario, it's good to:
Best Practice:
- Have clear terms stating you don’t control external content (YouTube, etc.).
- Allow users to report links or embeds if something becomes inappropriate later.
- Avoid embedding videos from dodgy creators, even if the single video looks safe.
That's very useful - although AI isn't always correct! As I've found a few times. And yes, technically Youtube should be compliant. But if they become compliant by restricting it to over 18's only and you're providing a link to a site that is only for over 18's .........
I can't even see how Youtube can control this! So surely it must be the child compliant site that is liable for linking to an adult site?
I can't even see how Youtube can control this! So surely it must be the child compliant site that is liable for linking to an adult site?
This is what Chat GPT says
"Online Safety Act Considerations: Under the Online Safety Act, platforms and services must take steps to protect children from harmful content, including content that could be accessed from external links. If your site has embedded YouTube videos, it could be seen as indirectly facilitating access to potentially harmful content."
"Online Safety Act Considerations: Under the Online Safety Act, platforms and services must take steps to protect children from harmful content, including content that could be accessed from external links. If your site has embedded YouTube videos, it could be seen as indirectly facilitating access to potentially harmful content."
webbouk
Well-known member
I use this add-on...
Auto link manager
Description: Allows bypassing auto linking functions for selected domains. Auto link functions include: Convert URLs to page titles Unfurl URL to a rich preview automatically Some domains will block your site from retrieving link content, so...
www.xf2addons.com
Lee
Well-known member
Only if you directly embed the video, you can't possibly be liable for content the user stumbles upon if they then spend an hour browsing youtube.
Ozzy47
Well-known member
That's not entirely true. If the guest was at your house and got drunk or high on drugs at your house, you can be held liable for anything that happened to them after leaving. Similar to getting over served at a bar.