6 ms·

This sounds like a misinterpretation. The OSA is primarily about making online service providers responsible for age verification, if they supply adult content.

This sounds like a misinterpretation. The OSA is primarily about making online service providers responsible for age verification, if they supply adult content. No different in principle from having to prove one's age to buy cigarettes, alcohol, knives, etc. No-one says "cigarettes are censored!", because, obviously, they're not. Same for adult content online. It can still be accessed, as long as proof of age is provided.

IanCal 1y ago
That’s not what it’s primarily about, but is the more visible aspect. Lots of the rest is ensuring moderation and the like is supported, scanning for csam, etc. where the risks are higher.
- icarouse 1y ago
  I see much of the rest of it as being similar to alcohol licensing laws. Pubs and bars have restrictions on how they operate, for the good of the community and society.
  - mdp2021 1y ago
    Now picture the profiles of those who would present a document to enter a pub, and picture the profiles of those who would present a document to access a forum.
    - IanCal 1y ago
      This isn’t about presenting a document to enter a forum.
      - mdp2021 1y ago
        In fact I miswrote: I understand it is about presenting a document to access webpages. In the equivalent proposal in Australia, they spoke about presenting a document to access search engines. Surely my mention of "forums" was rushed on the spot and reductive. So, what did you mean? Have I fell into some confusion in legislations?
        IanCal 1y ago
        The problem here is there is a big bit of legislation and people are focussed on one outcome of it, which is what you will have heard. It’s a bill about safety online. The onus is moved to the provider to mitigate harms or decide they don’t apply/are low risk. For porn providers the outcome is fairly clear, to check your users are of age. This was kind of always the case but “are you over 18 yes or no” is not enough. For other sites it’s making sure there are reporting mechanisms for child abuse content. It’s making sure there’s moderation to manage grooming, self harm stuff etc. People can fairly argue about the bill but it’s not about age or user verification. That’s one outcome for one set of sites.
        mdp2021 1y ago
        Consider the source: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/no-uks-online-safety-act-doesnt-make-children-safer-online https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/no-uks-online-safety-a... I understand from that source that the legislation "mandates that any site accessible in the UK - including social media, search engines, music sites, and adult content providers - enforce age checks"; all accessible sites that could contain """harmful content""" (so basically a dramatically high amount of sites of importance - with particular regard to search engines, which link to the controversial). Now: how will, say, a search engine conduct age verification without identifying the user. Because the issue here is that of anonimity online (i.e., the disappearance of the "online" - the end of the Web). > That’s one outcome for one set of sites We understand from the article that the set, as said, includes the basics...
khalic 1y ago
False equivalence, the local pub doesn’t keep track of your identity.
- jddj 1y ago
  Not to take away from your general point (which I agree with), but that depends where local is. > Identity technology used at a county's pubs and nightclubs since 2023 is to be extended for a further three years. > Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) Danielle Stone has agreed to provide funding to keep the scheme at 25 venues that open beyond 01:00. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgm28lmk474o https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgm28lmk474o
  - khalic 1y ago
    Thanks for the context, jeez that’s concerning
- icarouse 1y ago
  Your local pub will have CCTV and some have names and photos of banned patrons behind the bar. Some bars and clubs have digital ID scanners upon entry. Most online service providers who verify age are using third-party suppliers who don't provide any details of one's identity, just whether the user has been age verified or not. And much of that is done by recording a selfie, not handing over identity documents.
  - khalic 1y ago
    Your example doesn’t work. They’re not keeping it for bad actors only, but for every one. Stop trying to oversimplify the concept, it’s not a pub, it’s not a store, it’s a virtual service. This comparison doesn’t help us at all. About the face and not ID: good thing we can’t identify someone using their face! /s
  - ptero 1y ago
    One local pub may have a face scanner, the other may not and I am free to choose which one I go to without fear of reprisals. Refusing to follow a government mandate can land me in jail.
mdp2021 1y ago
> obviously, they're not No, you are just tracked when you access them - «cigarettes» being, of course, all """controversial""" expressions. (Already putting children as an excuse for that...) *** They have censored lobste.rs . The "for adults only site" lobste.rs *** https://www.blocked.org.uk/osa-blocks https://www.blocked.org.uk/osa-blocks
- icarouse 1y ago
  The owner of lobste.rs decided to censor lobste.rs. And then changed his mind. It's accessible from the UK as it was before.
  - deleted 1y ago
    [deleted]
  - mdp2021 1y ago
    I see. I only came to know it from the list. Now what about the rest of the list.
    - tgv 1y ago
      Is this you? news.ycombinator.com | Hacker News https://news.ycombinator.com Reported: 15 August, 2025 at 10:09 Shut down on: 15 August, 2025 Shutting down due to OSA Discussion site for insufferable nerds. Submitted
      - mdp2021 1y ago
        It is nice of you to do community bond building by being jocular, tgv, but I do not see context nor content. I do not see context because this is the beginning of "present an ID to access the web", and I do believe in slippery slopes, especially in a world where societies have lost the basics. And I do not see content because I am not sure you want to suggest anything relevant with that. For the rest, we can joke whenever we are both here fondly mate, but you have probably picked the worst topic for it. -- Edit: > where societies have lost the basics And that's why I feel your use of "nerd" is so out of current reality (besides its application to the attending). A world of voluntary subjects, and the term for the sieged would be "nerd"?!

IanCal 1y ago

That’s not what it’s primarily about, but is the more visible aspect. Lots of the rest is ensuring moderation and the like is supported, scanning for csam, etc. where the risks are higher.

icarouse 1y ago
I see much of the rest of it as being similar to alcohol licensing laws. Pubs and bars have restrictions on how they operate, for the good of the community and society.
- mdp2021 1y ago
  Now picture the profiles of those who would present a document to enter a pub, and picture the profiles of those who would present a document to access a forum.
  - IanCal 1y ago
    This isn’t about presenting a document to enter a forum.
    - mdp2021 1y ago
      In fact I miswrote: I understand it is about presenting a document to access webpages. In the equivalent proposal in Australia, they spoke about presenting a document to access search engines. Surely my mention of "forums" was rushed on the spot and reductive. So, what did you mean? Have I fell into some confusion in legislations?
      - IanCal 1y ago
        The problem here is there is a big bit of legislation and people are focussed on one outcome of it, which is what you will have heard. It’s a bill about safety online. The onus is moved to the provider to mitigate harms or decide they don’t apply/are low risk. For porn providers the outcome is fairly clear, to check your users are of age. This was kind of always the case but “are you over 18 yes or no” is not enough. For other sites it’s making sure there are reporting mechanisms for child abuse content. It’s making sure there’s moderation to manage grooming, self harm stuff etc. People can fairly argue about the bill but it’s not about age or user verification. That’s one outcome for one set of sites.
        mdp2021 1y ago
        Consider the source: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/no-uks-online-safety-act-doesnt-make-children-safer-online https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/08/no-uks-online-safety-a... I understand from that source that the legislation "mandates that any site accessible in the UK - including social media, search engines, music sites, and adult content providers - enforce age checks"; all accessible sites that could contain """harmful content""" (so basically a dramatically high amount of sites of importance - with particular regard to search engines, which link to the controversial). Now: how will, say, a search engine conduct age verification without identifying the user. Because the issue here is that of anonimity online (i.e., the disappearance of the "online" - the end of the Web). > That’s one outcome for one set of sites We understand from the article that the set, as said, includes the basics...

khalic 1y ago

False equivalence, the local pub doesn’t keep track of your identity.

jddj 1y ago
Not to take away from your general point (which I agree with), but that depends where local is. > Identity technology used at a county's pubs and nightclubs since 2023 is to be extended for a further three years. > Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) Danielle Stone has agreed to provide funding to keep the scheme at 25 venues that open beyond 01:00. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgm28lmk474o https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgm28lmk474o
- khalic 1y ago
  Thanks for the context, jeez that’s concerning
icarouse 1y ago
Your local pub will have CCTV and some have names and photos of banned patrons behind the bar. Some bars and clubs have digital ID scanners upon entry. Most online service providers who verify age are using third-party suppliers who don't provide any details of one's identity, just whether the user has been age verified or not. And much of that is done by recording a selfie, not handing over identity documents.
- khalic 1y ago
  Your example doesn’t work. They’re not keeping it for bad actors only, but for every one. Stop trying to oversimplify the concept, it’s not a pub, it’s not a store, it’s a virtual service. This comparison doesn’t help us at all. About the face and not ID: good thing we can’t identify someone using their face! /s
- ptero 1y ago
  One local pub may have a face scanner, the other may not and I am free to choose which one I go to without fear of reprisals. Refusing to follow a government mandate can land me in jail.

mdp2021 1y ago

> obviously, they're not No, you are just tracked when you access them - «cigarettes» being, of course, all """controversial""" expressions. (Already putting children as an excuse for that...) *** They have censored lobste.rs . The "for adults only site" lobste.rs *** https://www.blocked.org.uk/osa-blocks https://www.blocked.org.uk/osa-blocks

icarouse 1y ago
The owner of lobste.rs decided to censor lobste.rs. And then changed his mind. It's accessible from the UK as it was before.
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
- mdp2021 1y ago
  I see. I only came to know it from the list. Now what about the rest of the list.
  - tgv 1y ago
    Is this you? news.ycombinator.com | Hacker News https://news.ycombinator.com Reported: 15 August, 2025 at 10:09 Shut down on: 15 August, 2025 Shutting down due to OSA Discussion site for insufferable nerds. Submitted
    - mdp2021 1y ago
      It is nice of you to do community bond building by being jocular, tgv, but I do not see context nor content. I do not see context because this is the beginning of "present an ID to access the web", and I do believe in slippery slopes, especially in a world where societies have lost the basics. And I do not see content because I am not sure you want to suggest anything relevant with that. For the rest, we can joke whenever we are both here fondly mate, but you have probably picked the worst topic for it. -- Edit: > where societies have lost the basics And that's why I feel your use of "nerd" is so out of current reality (besides its application to the attending). A world of voluntary subjects, and the term for the sieged would be "nerd"?!