This is the law in the UK. Once mastodon become more commonplace, you can expect servers to start receiving warnings from the UK government… I don’t think being not for profit allows you to get away with it either.
That’s true. But there isn’t any advice that will work against such totalitarian practices and be legal at the same time. Either you circumvent the law with some VPN, or you relinquish your right to privacy.
The VPN route won’t work with sites like Blue Sky, as they’ve already bent to the state so you won’t have privacy there, even if your face or ID isn’t in their database.
I don’t think circumventing the restrictions with a VPN is illegal. It’s one of those dumb laws where everyone just has to basically play along but everyone knows it won’t achieve anything.
This from the government that routinely leaves laptops on trains, with post-it notes stuck to them as to what the password is (this is not hyperbole they have actually done this).
Well that’s where it gets muddy. Technically it’s only illegal to circumvent an age verification check if you’re subsequently found to be underage, the actual circumventing of the check isn’t the illegal part, it was buying the product underage.
This is the law in the UK. Once mastodon become more commonplace, you can expect servers to start receiving warnings from the UK government… I don’t think being not for profit allows you to get away with it either.
Being based in another jurisdiction might allow them to tell the UK government to suck a fat dick.
I mean, yeah, and the government might just order ISPs to block the infringing domains. That’s usually how it goes.
I see no problem with that.
It does render the original advice somewhat moot though doesn’t it.
Just use Mastodon, except of course that won’t work, oh I don’t care then.
That’s true. But there isn’t any advice that will work against such totalitarian practices and be legal at the same time. Either you circumvent the law with some VPN, or you relinquish your right to privacy.
The VPN route won’t work with sites like Blue Sky, as they’ve already bent to the state so you won’t have privacy there, even if your face or ID isn’t in their database.
I don’t think circumventing the restrictions with a VPN is illegal. It’s one of those dumb laws where everyone just has to basically play along but everyone knows it won’t achieve anything.
This from the government that routinely leaves laptops on trains, with post-it notes stuck to them as to what the password is (this is not hyperbole they have actually done this).
I think that was the Johnson govt? Was a while ago now? Or more recent? Can’t find anything after 2021 myself
I am not a lawyer anywhere, nor a citizen of the kingdom, but usually, when you circumvent an ID check, that’s not legal.
Well that’s where it gets muddy. Technically it’s only illegal to circumvent an age verification check if you’re subsequently found to be underage, the actual circumventing of the check isn’t the illegal part, it was buying the product underage.
But what if countries collaborate ?