Age verification

tghe-retford

molerat said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y2xx6z6eko

Ofcom is investigating four companies, operating a total of 34 !!!!!! sites, over whether they are complying with its new age check requirements.

Two things missed in the media reporting that has gone under the radar. First of all, Ofcom has put everyone on notice that the age verification requirements under the act apply to all websites and services with few exemptions (namely, very few websites outside of Government ones could legitimately claim to be fully "safe for kids" and the BBC is exempt from the act). Second, every website and service is forbidden from allowing any promotion of VPN's to occur on said website or service.

Considering the mass non-compliance and lack of money/courts/prison cells, Ofcom may be left with only option - an amnesty for everyone to comply. I did fear a lot of websites were hoping Ofcom would ignore them and either assume they'd be in the clear or just simply ignore the law because the cost of implementing age verification would cripple them. But it looks as if Ofcom is putting everyone on notice.

victor2

tghe-retford said:

molerat said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y2xx6z6eko

Ofcom is investigating four companies, operating a total of 34 !!!!!! sites, over whether they are complying with its new age check requirements.

Two things missed in the media reporting that has gone under the radar. First of all, Ofcom has put everyone on notice that the age verification requirements under the act apply to all websites and services with few exemptions (namely, very few websites outside of Government ones could legitimately claim to be fully "safe for kids" and the BBC is exempt from the act). Second, every website and service is forbidden from allowing any promotion of VPN's to occur on said website or service.

Considering the mass non-compliance and lack of money/courts/prison cells, Ofcom may be left with only option - an amnesty for everyone to comply. I did fear a lot of websites were hoping Ofcom would ignore them and either assume they'd be in the clear or just simply ignore the law because the cost of implementing age verification would cripple them. But it looks as if Ofcom is putting everyone on notice.

So does that mean the government/Ofcom will require Google etc. to censor their ad feeds to UK based websites (such as this one) in order to exclude any for VPNs??

Vitor

It's sadly inevitable that MSE Forum will require age verification as multiple Forums will be framed as likely to be causing “serious distress" due to the content; the company will roll-over rather than fight Ofcom overreach

forgotmyname

Youtube should be on the highest tier of the age verification with all their fake bot adverts that contain questionable content.

I use an ad-blocker on Youtube so have never seen them but watching a tech channel last night they commented that
the fake bot accounts and adverts should require age verification in the UK.

tghe-retford

victor2 said:

tghe-retford said:

molerat said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y2xx6z6eko

Ofcom is investigating four companies, operating a total of 34 !!!!!! sites, over whether they are complying with its new age check requirements.

Two things missed in the media reporting that has gone under the radar. First of all, Ofcom has put everyone on notice that the age verification requirements under the act apply to all websites and services with few exemptions (namely, very few websites outside of Government ones could legitimately claim to be fully "safe for kids" and the BBC is exempt from the act). Second, every website and service is forbidden from allowing any promotion of VPN's to occur on said website or service.

Considering the mass non-compliance and lack of money/courts/prison cells, Ofcom may be left with only option - an amnesty for everyone to comply. I did fear a lot of websites were hoping Ofcom would ignore them and either assume they'd be in the clear or just simply ignore the law because the cost of implementing age verification would cripple them. But it looks as if Ofcom is putting everyone on notice.

So does that mean the government/Ofcom will require Google etc. to censor their ad feeds to UK based websites (such as this one) in order to exclude any for VPNs??

From my understanding, yes. Which could a real problem for everyone who's been sponsored by VPN companies on YouTube as they would have to be removed.

Grumpy_chap

victor2 said:

censor their ad feeds to UK based websites (such as this one) 

I have never noticed any ad feeds on this website.

RumRat

Nope....Ads never a problem...

B0bbyEwing

bob2302 said:

victor2 said:

bob2302 said:

B0bbyEwing said:

Well as another said... 
The hub seems to be playing ball & wants you to verify yourself from the get go. 
The criss cross videos I can't remember. Think it may also have required verification. 
Criss cross nocturnal pet would allow you to play videos but everything was blurred out once you got to a point where there'd be limited attire. Thumbnails also blurred out. 
And unclean sea vessel worked perfectly fine. 

Which was as much as my research covered. 

I'm guessing "criss cross" is a cryptic euphemism for "Gentlemen's Special Interest Material", and.the rest are sites I've not heard of.

The crypitic clues lost me too. Not asking for detailed explanation though.

Figured my life has been too sheltered! 

 I hope "unclean sea vessel" isn't for  pedalos.

I see what you did there!

victor2

RumRat said:

Nope....Ads never a problem...

Thought my ad blocker was doing a good job! 
Wonder if the legislation would apply to paid links to VPN providers though (which this site does have)? Plus there are other non-adult UK sites that are fed adverts...

flaneurs_lobster

Can I just verify something? 

Does the legislation now ban all advertising/promotion/links to sites providing VPN services?

I thought this ban only applied to "adult" sites having such links, or is the point now that all sites (other than the BBC) are now "adult"?