Quote:
Originally Posted by Bounci
I'm a little puzzled (which is nothing new for me). Will it affect OCC users if we already log in here? Or just new members after this proposed new law? Or is this going to affect people who just want to view the site?  |
From what I understand, web site owners/managers will have the responsibility to enforce checks to verify the location of each user, and if a user is in the UK, then the site will have to require government-approved age verification. This holds for registered and not registered users alike.
Really, I can see many problems with this. One is that it puts the burden of control on the web sites, and it's not a small one. As someone else already said, the first thing people will attempt will be to use VPNs. Will web sites be required to block users using VPNs? How much more technical burden are they going to demand? Who will maintain a database of porn license numbers? What if some numbers get leaked? How will the number revoke system work? Porn license will be anonymous; so, will license holders have to buy a new one if the central database gets hacked, even though it is no fault of theirs? Or maybe, are they going to implement a distributed database (blockchain)? What is going to happen with search engines? Will they be OK but require age verification if one disables safe search? If so, how will they distinguish active users from web spiders? And especially, how are they going to enforce the ridiculous fines in the case of web sites registered outside the UK, with servers located outside the UK? Will owners of small, non-UK, non-compliant web sites, and who maybe don't even know about this, be arrested if they come visit London on a holiday?
I think it's ridiculous, but the people in the government sure seem to be going ahead with their plans.