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[Bowdon]

Concern as UK Government Ponders ISP Block of Twitter and Social Media

A recent debate in the House of Lords on the forthcoming Digital Economy Bill has raised significant concern that the Government may be trying to censor social media websites (Twitter etc.), unless they adopt Age Verification. Otherwise ISPs might be forced to block them.

Last month we reported on the Government’s highly controversial decision to introduce a radical, if somewhat expected, change into the DEBill that would force broadband ISPs into the mandatory blocking of all “adult” websites; specifically those that fail to offer an adequate method of age-verification for their visitors.

This stuff might seem far out. But I remember in the 90's Yahoo and Microsofts IM chatrooms were blocked overnight and hardly anyone made any protest about it. I was mainly using Yahoo messenger at the time. From what I remember they had to make a UK version of its messenger which blocked off the chat rooms. This was around the time when online grooming became a thing. That sure stopped online grooming 

To be honest I can't accept any parent of my generation not being at least a little bit familiar with computers. If they are then going to some computer classes about computer safety should be enough for them to be able to figure out blocking their own computer. It shouldn't be up to the state to do the jobs parents/people should be doing. Their own lazyness is walking us straight in to censorship.

[broadstairs]

I totally agree, we have more than enough nanny state. This is one reason I subscribe to the Open Rights Group and support pretty much all of what they try to do in reversing such crazy decisions. Anyway there are ways round most ISP blocks

Stuart

[c6em]

The trouble is they (the kids) are not seeing the "stuff" at home.
They are seeing it on other kids mobiles and the rest away from the house and home that their parents have quite diligently locked down.

[broadstairs]

The trouble is they (the kids) are not seeing the "stuff" at home.
They are seeing it on other kids mobiles and the rest away from the house and home that their parents have quite diligently locked down.

The answer to that should not be lock everyone down but provide a secure method to lock down a phone so kids cannot do stuff they are not supposed to, or if you dont trust your kids dont let them have a phone. Also kids need to be educated properly about this stuff and not simply let nanny state take over. This is only one step from 1984 George Orwell's vision.

Stuart