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UK Politicians Push For FOSTA SESTA-Style Sex Censorship (engadget.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Engadget: If you're familiar with the phrase "that's a terrible idea, let's do it" then you might be one of the British MPs who think that the UK should do its own version of FOSTA-SESTA. That's exactly what Labour MP Sarah Champion has done by leading a debate this week for the creation of laws to criminalize websites used by sex workers in the UK -- under the rubric of fighting trafficking, of course. A self-appointed group of MPs (the "All-Party Parliamentary Group on Prostitution and the Global Sex Trade") fronted by Ms. Champion made a call to ban "prostitution websites" during a Wednesday House of Commons debate. Conflating sex work with trafficking just like their American counterparts, they claim websites where workers advertise and screen clients "directly and knowingly" profit from sex trafficking.

68 of 124 comments (clear)

  1. Where then ... by CaptainDork · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... will the MPs get their sex?

    --
    It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
    1. Re:Where then ... by thegarbz · · Score: 4, Funny

      ... will the MPs get their sex?

      They are politicians. They screw the entire population. That should be more than enough for anyone.

    2. Re:Where then ... by Jason1729 · · Score: 2

      Since when do they ever obey the laws they enact?

    3. Re:Where then ... by AHuxley · · Score: 1

      The same way as over the decades. With MI5/6 and the GCHQ in the next room.

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
    4. Re:Where then ... by serviscope_minor · · Score: 1

      They are politicians. They screw the entire population. That should be more than enough for anyone.

      Should be, but somehow it never is.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    5. Re:Where then ... by CaptainDork · · Score: 1

      I suspect there's a long standing history of systemic bullshit from your place, as well.

      --
      It little behooves the best of us to comment on the rest of us.
  2. Prostitution is legal in the UK. by whoever57 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Prostitution itself is not illegal in the UK, so how should these legal workers advertise their services? I guess the answer, according to Ms. Champion, is that they should not.

    --
    The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
    1. Re:Prostitution is legal in the UK. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      So what happens when you outlaw it? It continues underground among more dangerous people. Same with drugs, or guns, or whatever. You can ban them, but they are still there. But it's great for cops and prisons!

    2. Re:Prostitution is legal in the UK. by Patent+Lover · · Score: 4, Funny

      Every time you outlaw something, it just goes away. Like magic almost.

    3. Re:Prostitution is legal in the UK. by iggymanz · · Score: 1

      Some bad things do get cut down a great deal with outlawing. Other things don't.

    4. Re:Prostitution is legal in the UK. by whoever57 · · Score: 1

      Soliciting in a public place, kerb crawling, having or managing a brothel, pimping and pandering, are crimes

      None of those activities would be affected by a FOSTA/SESTA type bill.

      --
      The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
    5. Re:Prostitution is legal in the UK. by iggymanz · · Score: 1

      nonsense, the internet can be used to assist with any and all of those things. From arranging transportation onward to collecting fees.

    6. Re:Prostitution is legal in the UK. by WaffleMonster · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Soliciting in a public place, kerb crawling, having or managing a brothel, pimping and pandering, are crimes. They should just outlaw whores anyway, they spread disease and bring other crime

      The consequences of resulting loss of legitimacy is usually worse than the "problem" you are trying to fix.

      Governments monopoly on violence can only be used to beat down outliers. It's not a magic wand. If you want a magic wand move to North Korea.

    7. Re:Prostitution is legal in the UK. by AHuxley · · Score: 2

      Think of the internet in the same way as in the past a book/magazine of ads for services that got printed.
      The service would have to have a contact phone number. The illegal ad would be paid for.
      The ad sold would have a phone number to a service that was not legal.
      Publishing ads for an illegal service and making money from such ads would result in an investigation.

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
    8. Re:Prostitution is legal in the UK. by jpaine619 · · Score: 1

      You do realize you are a delusional, authoritarian, moron, right?

    9. Re:Prostitution is legal in the UK. by 91degrees · · Score: 1

      I think they simply don't care. People like Ms. Campion probably see it as a benefit that they can't make a living this way, or at the very least, a small price to pay for her personal pet project.

    10. Re: Prostitution is legal in the UK. by cyber-vandal · · Score: 1

      Let's make everything legal then.

    11. Re:Prostitution is legal in the UK. by awonderfulmachine · · Score: 1

      I have had six with 19 prostitutes. Safe sex. I have never had an STD. Most only do safe sex and the ones that do bareback are insane I avoid those urk. Most escorts here are quite professional. Adult work allows them to be more professional than street booker can be. All banning buying sex and adult work achieves is further marginalising escorts and damaging their sales. It's like the war on drugs. Pointless and dumb. If the government wish to improve the wellbeing of escorts fully legalising both buying and selling is a good start including pimping. Prostitutes risk being charged with pimping just for working. In the same building for their own safety and companionship. If you are worried about the wellbeing of Romanian girls, look to their own country. The ones shown come here to sell sex have it way better and can support their entire family with that money. Back home many don't even earn £50 a month.

  3. Simplify. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Just make prostitution legal. Then regulate it to prevent trafficing, underage, unsafe conditions and so on. Works well in New Zealand.

  4. So. by rmdingler · · Score: 1

    Pleasantly surprised to discover Fosta Sesta turned out to be an acronym that included sex, since my distracted consciousness actually read it that way the first time through.

    Final thought: If it were possible to legislate away the sex trafficking game, it would've been accomplished generations ago.

    --
    Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

    Ernest Hemingway

    1. Re:So. by dryeo · · Score: 2

      Final thought: If it were possible to legislate away the sex trafficking game, it would've been accomplished generations ago.

      It's quite possible to mostly legislate the sex trafficking away. Has to be done like how it was done with the bootleggers, legalize and reasonably regulate. Just like most people like getting alcohol from a regulated source for a reasonable price, I'd assume most sex buyers would like similar. I know that if I was in the market to pay for sex, I'd prefer someone vetted as being clean and honest to buy it from.

      --
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_totalitarianism
  5. facts are fun by iggymanz · · Score: 1

    there is human trafficking in the UK, about 4000 enslaved people.

  6. Once again: prostitution is sex trafficking by pots · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Trafficking just means trade in illegal goods. If selling sex is illegal, than prostitution is sex trafficking.

    I realize that it's pedantic to bring this up every time someone claims that these laws are trojans, but it's not irrelevant: if they make a law against sex trafficking and you cheer for it, and it turns out that you don't want a law against prostitution... well that's at least partly on you. Yes they're taking advantage of public confusion over the word, so they certainly deserve some of the blame, but at least some of that blame also needs to fall on the people who demand laws without any understanding of what those laws are or what they mean or their consequences.

    1. Re:Once again: prostitution is sex trafficking by iggymanz · · Score: 1

      HUMAN TRAFFICKING means enslaving, selling and trading human beings, as property

      You are an idiot.

    2. Re:Once again: prostitution is sex trafficking by malkavian · · Score: 2

      Definitely "appeal to definition" logical fallacy.
      Sex trafficking is importing people to act as sex workers under false pretences/illegally. It's basically modern slavery.
      Though on that front, if that political wing concentrated funds on trying to cure modern slavery, instead of trying to tell everyone how bad ancient slavery was, then it may be further along the process of solving than it is now.

    3. Re:Once again: prostitution is sex trafficking by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      If selling sex is illegal

      It's not. Even if the rest of your argument even remotely made sense it all just fell apart.

      Speaking of the rest of your argument:

      If selling sex is illegal, than prostitution is sex trafficking.

      You'd be wrong. Trafficking even following the oxford dictionary is not about paying for the service of sex, it's about paying to obtain a sexual servant. Here's the full legal definition since a dictionary won't get you anywhere in a court or parliament:

      Sex Trafficking Law and Legal Definition
      Pursuant to 22 USCS 7102 (9) [Title 22. Foreign Relations and Intercourse; Chapter 78. Trafficking Victims Protection], the term sex trafficking means “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act.”

      people who demand laws without any understanding of what those laws are or what they mean

      It would appear the general public is doing much better at this than you.

    4. Re:Once again: prostitution is sex trafficking by pots · · Score: 1

      Yes, human trafficking does mean trade in humans. I did say above that trafficking means trade in illegal goods. What is the confusion here? It's also commonly used to describe trade in illegal drugs, i.e.: drug trafficking. Do you have some kind of point, or were you so eager to insult me that you forgot about that part?

    5. Re:Once again: prostitution is sex trafficking by pots · · Score: 1

      It's only a fallacy if it's wrong. Sex trafficking is trade in sex, however it's unfortunately also sometimes used as shorthand for "human trafficking for the purpose of sex." Hence the public confusion that I mentioned above.

    6. Re:Once again: prostitution is sex trafficking by pots · · Score: 1

      Even if the rest of your argument ...

      What argument? What are you going on about? I had a definition, that's basically it.

      You want a legal definition? You're not happy with the Oxford Dictionary? How about Black's Legal Dictionary? It says the same thing.

      I have no idea where you got this idea about a "sexual servant" from the Oxford definition... None. I'm stuck there, can't even dispute what you said if I can't understand it. I also can't argue with the definition that you give, but... this here: “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act.” This is prostitution.

      I don't really know what you mean by "sexual servant." A prostitute is basically a sexual servant. Most people are confused because they think sex trafficking is the same thing as sexual slavery, this is the mistake that they make. They're confusing sex trafficking and human trafficking. The legal term that they really want is "severe form of trafficking in persons."

    7. Re:Once again: prostitution is sex trafficking by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      What argument? What are you going on about? I had a definition, that's basically it.

      Your definition was done in 2 sentences. You then built an arguement around that definition against supporting laws based purely on that definition. In case you forgot, let me quote you: "if they make a law against sex trafficking and you cheer for it, and it turns out that you don't want a law against prostitution... well that's at least partly on you."

      That is an argument and since it's based on 2 incorrect premises it's wrong.

      You want a legal definition? You're not happy with the Oxford Dictionary?

      No I don't want the legal definition. I have a legal definition and gave you the actual definition copied verbatim from Title 22 of the US Code which contains the exact definition of sex trafficking as used in all the laws.

      I know this must be confusing for you since you've just repeated the same mistake, but "trafficking" and "sex trafficking" (the latter being the only term used in the laws we are talking about) are quite distinct things. Normally I give a free pass since people don't bother reading about laws before they comment but in this case the term "sex trafficking" is in the frigging title of the act that is being talked about.

      I have no idea where you got this idea about a "sexual servant" from the Oxford definition... None. I'm stuck there, can't even dispute what you said if I can't understand it.

      Let me break it down for you: paying someone for sex: not illegal. Paying someone to obtain a person for you for the purpose of sex is illegal. You want to hold up a general non-legally binding oxford definition, fine, it's 100% consistent with the laws.

      I also can't argue with the definition that you give, but... this here: “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act.” This is prostitution.

      I'm not sure what sick world you are in but when I bang prostitutes I go to a brothel give them money and get me rocks off, I don't recruit, harbour, transport, definitely don't provision (that would make me a pimp), and as she leaves when my load is blown, I don't obtain a person either. There is literally not a single part of that definition that means prostitution. Feel free to type each individual item into a legal dictionary.

      I don't really know what you mean by "sexual servant." A prostitute is basically a sexual servant.

      You're basically a bad person if you think this. Or you don't understand the term servant. Just because you pay someone does not make them a servant.

      Most people are confused because they think sex trafficking is the same thing as sexual slavery, this is the mistake that they make.

      Yeah I know. Because most people understand that that sex trafficking involves recruiting, harbouring, transportation, provision or obtaining people for the purposes of sex acts, none of which happens normally.

      They're confusing sex trafficking and human trafficking. The legal term that they really want is "severe form of trafficking in persons."

      They're not confusing them. The overwhelming majority of sex trafficking is done against a person's will. Sex trafficking is a subset of human trafficking.

    8. Re:Once again: prostitution is sex trafficking by dgatwood · · Score: 1

      You'd be wrong. Trafficking even following the oxford dictionary is not about paying for the service of sex, it's about paying to obtain a sexual servant.

      Actually, by the definition you posted, the GP appears to be correct:

      âoethe recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act.â

      That appears to cover solicitation. The next one appears to cover brothels, the fourth appears to cover pimping, the fifth appears to redundantly cover solicitation. Only the third one appears to cover what most of us think of as sex trafficking, and even that one is missing any mention of lack of consent, force, coercion, false pretense, or indentured servitude.

      Now I understand the excuse given — that requiring the government to prove those things makes it harder to prosecute traffickers because they have to actually build up a proper case — but it is also the difference between a law that bans what most people think of as trafficking and a law that nationally bans prostitution, as this one appears to do.

      What am I missing?

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

    9. Re: Once again: prostitution is sex trafficking by dryeo · · Score: 1

      And that's not what these laws are about. Enslaving people has been illegal everywhere for a long time, no new laws needed.

      These laws target consensual prostitution.

      Because the reality is the modern so-called "left" is a bunch of blue-haired wannabe church ladies. Who get fainting spells if they suspect they somewhere, someone might be having fun.

      The Conservatives are the "modern so-called 'left'"?

      --
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_totalitarianism
    10. Re:Once again: prostitution is sex trafficking by iggymanz · · Score: 1

      only that there is a human trafficking problem in the UK, thousands enslaved. There are ways laws could help lessen that problem.

  7. they can move to amsterdam! by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    they can move to amsterdam!

    1. Re:they can move to amsterdam! by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 4, Insightful

      There's something of a clampdown on prostitution going on here in the Netherlands. The laws have largely remained the same, but mayors can simply opt to withhold or rescind licenses for brothels or windows. I expect the new mayor of Amsterdam, appointed* earlier this month, to increase pressure on the sex industry in this manner. With the results usually being that sex workers are criminalized further (it is hard for them even to open a bank account to conduct business), and driven into the hands of actual human traffickers.

      *) Yes, our mayors are appointed, not elected. The city Council draws up a job profile, the ministry publishes the vacancy. The King's Commissioner for the province does the first selection of candidates, after which the City Council will recommend a few candidates. Usually, the #1 recommended candidate is then appointed.

      --
      If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
  8. Another step toward a police state by OneHundredAndTen · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The UK keeps taking steps toward a police state. This is the country where CCTV cameras are literally all over the place. George Orwell wouldn't be all that surprised about what is happening in his country.

    1. Re:Another step toward a police state by 91degrees · · Score: 2

      CCTV cameras are all over the place everywhere. Even been into a bank? Never seen a security camera in a shop? Those are the cameras that the much hyped report all those years ago was talking about.

    2. Re:Another step toward a police state by SuricouRaven · · Score: 1

      I don't know why people keep singling out the UK for extensive CCTV coverage. Yes, we have cameras everywhere. Now find me a developed nation that doesn't.

  9. For GOP, but not for thee. by PopeRatzo · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The bill was signed into law by President Donald Trump on April 11, 2018

    Show of hands: Who is surprised that Republicans would enact these kind of repressive laws as soon as they got into power? The Great Leader can engage in all the prostitution he likes, but the rest of you better clean up your act.

    In related news, family values stalwart Rep. Jim Jordan (R- The Holler), turns out to have been jacking it to boys getting molested for years as a wrestling coach. And what is it with Republican wrestling coaches and the sexual abuse of young men? It wasn't that long ago that the most powerful Republican in the nation did hard penitentiary time for molesting boys. What is it that draws Republicans to become wrestling coaches?

    https://www.politico.com/story...

    http://www.chicagotribune.com/...

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
    1. Re:For GOP, but not for thee. by fafalone · · Score: 4, Informative

      Like many of the greatest affronts to civil rights, FOSTA was overwhelmingly bi-partisan. The vote was 97-2 in the Senate. There's plenty to blame on Republicans, but sex trafficking hysteria is one thing where the blame is equally on Democrats. Republicans approach it from the religious angle, whereas Democrats have decided that all sex workers are exploited, even if they say they're not, so the choice should be taken away from them. Same result.

    2. Re:For GOP, but not for thee. by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      Like many of the greatest affronts to civil rights, FOSTA was overwhelmingly bi-partisan. The vote was 97-2 in the Senate.

      And Donald J. Trump signed it into law. A real president would have vetoed and dared the Senate to overturn.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    3. Re:For GOP, but not for thee. by fafalone · · Score: 1

      A real President like who? Clinton (and Bill too for that matter) would have signed it; both Bushes would have signed it; I can't think of a single President or nominee from the big 2 parties in the past 50 years that wouldn't have signed it, especially in the face of the vote to override being basically guaranteed. My rabid hate for Trump is well documented, but there was no getting out of this one.

    4. Re:For GOP, but not for thee. by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      Clinton (and Bill too for that matter) would have signed it; both Bushes would have signed it; I can't think of a single President or nominee from the big 2 parties in the past 50 years that wouldn't have signed it,

      You can speculate all you want, but one thing we know for sure: This law was passed by this Congress and signed by this President.

      It shouldn't have even come up for a vote. The good news is that in above five months we're going to have a new Congress. We can only hope they act with more wisdom than these jackoffs.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
  10. Meanwhile by ArchieBunker · · Score: 1

    They let Jimmy Savile fuck everyone from children to the elderly. Keep up the good work!

    --
    Only the State obtains its revenue by coercion. - Murray Rothbard
  11. The solution is... by Black+Art · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Forced castration for anyone who votes for this peice of legislation. If you don't want people to use their sexual organs, you don't get to use yours.

    --
    "Trademarks are the heraldry of the new feudalism."
    1. Re:The solution is... by currently_awake · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Or more constructively: Have a mandatory inspection of all proposed laws to see if they are Constitutional. If they are not and it gets thrown out by the courts, then everyone who voted for it is liable for damages.

    2. Re:The solution is... by SuricouRaven · · Score: 1

      The UK does not have a constitution. We have a legal doctrine that parliament can pass any law they want, with the sole restriction that they cannot pass a law which restricts their own ability to pass laws.

      It may sound totalitarian, but it actually works quite well in practice. We don't get the US's infamous federal-verses-state-verses-local legal conflicts where different levels of government are actively working in opposition to one another.

      I still can't figure out how the prime minister gets determined though. I know elections happen, and then a prime minister appears, but I don't think anyone understands what happens in between.

    3. Re:The solution is... by currently_awake · · Score: 1

      The leader of the party with the most seats in the house becomes prime minister. It's like replacing the electoral college with the house of commons.

  12. Get the facts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    I am a UK citizen and am a prostitute. Prostitution is not illegal although many of the activities surrounding prostitition are. Every prostitute I know of not only looks after the personal hygiene very well but also practcies safe sex to look after themselves. The biggest health danger is from the occasional stinky client who wants unprotected sex or risky body contact and they are firmly told "NO" and asked to leave.

    Recent UK law conflating prostitition with sex trafficking is against the rules of the European single market.

    As for people wanting to outlaw prostitition this never works. Another thing is will the prohibitionists change policy to create jobs and raise living standards so people are not forced or coerced by circumstances into prostitition? I doubt this very much.

    Basically, Sarah Champion is just a jealous bitch who wants to raise the value of her tight ice cold slot by creating scarcity. She probably thinks all prostitutes are just the dumb girls who were prettier than her she hated at school when in fact many prostitutes have degrees or are successful businesswomen easing their way past a financial crunch caused by social climbing politicians.

    1. Re:Get the facts by serviscope_minor · · Score: 1

      I am a UK citizen and am a prostitute.

      I've seen many, many dubious claims from ACs in the past, mostly involving expertise or wealth. This is a new one to me.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
  13. As an American let me once again say by rsilvergun · · Score: 1

    sorry for giving your right wing stupid idea.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
  14. Re:Censorship, and attempting to legislate moralit by currently_awake · · Score: 1

    You most certainly CAN legislate morality. The American War on (some) Drugs is a perfect example of this. It's not effective however, as victimless crimes don't get reported much, and the slipery slope of incentivising people to ignore the law inevitably leads to higher crime rates.

  15. As someone to the right of most "conservatives" by MikeRT · · Score: 1

    I find it frustrating how conservatives (both Tories and our own domestic counterparts) flip their shit at the most practical solution to prostitution which is simultaneously make marriage more desirable and make a pattern of withholding sex grounds for divorce. You want to see conservatives suddenly channel their inner feminist? Suggest that if the little lady ain't putting out, absent a particularly good reason, she is in breach of the legal covenant of marriage and off she goes without a right of alimony.

    A few generations ago, we didn't have such complications with regulating sex. Men had to try to get it up (even when their wives were fat and dumpy) and women had to put out (even if he's not an exciting alpha bad boy) in marriage. You got married young, were supposed to fuck the shit out of each other and most men had no reason to visit prostitutes. Some men were dicks, some women were nagging, shrewish bitches. If you stop drinking the "before Current Year(tm) it was barbarism" kool aid, sounds arguably a lot more libertarian and practical at the same time.

    Hookers aren't the problem here. We have an incel-mass producing culture that is arguably worse than a society that practices polygamy.

    1. Re:As someone to the right of most "conservatives" by Cederic · · Score: 2

      most men had no reason to visit prostitutes

      That'll be why it's such a new phenomenon then?

      Hookers aren't the problem here. We have an incel-mass producing culture that is arguably worse than a society that practices polygamy.

      Welcome to human history. Shit, you think polygamy produces fewer men with no partner than monogamy? Not unless a substantial number of men are dying very young.

    2. Re:As someone to the right of most "conservatives" by SuricouRaven · · Score: 1

      Throughout most of human history, a substantial number of men *did* die very young. Men took all the most dangerous jobs, and frequent wars killed huge numbers of men. Polygamy was more viable under those circumstances.

    3. Re:As someone to the right of most "conservatives" by currently_awake · · Score: 1

      The first problem with trying to legislate morality is we live in a multi-culteral society and we can't agree on the single moral code to follow. The second problem is the rules change when you get rich and/or powerful.

    4. Re:As someone to the right of most "conservatives" by dryeo · · Score: 1

      Wouldn't that have been balanced out by all the women who died in child birth?

      --
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_totalitarianism
  16. Re:Censorship, and attempting to legislate moralit by WaffleMonster · · Score: 2

    You most certainly CAN legislate morality. The American War on (some) Drugs is a perfect example of this.

    Hundreds of thousands of people are being killed in South America with some governments flirting with becoming failed states thanks in large part to America's war on drugs.

  17. Re:Censorship, and attempting to legislate moralit by AHuxley · · Score: 1

    It worked in the 1950's.
    What to print a book? Magazine? Like to import a magazine, book?
    Should a government not approve of such material the having of one copy and lots of copies for sale is not legal.

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  18. And History Repeats.... by WindowsStar · · Score: 1

    A city in the US did something similar and rape increased 76% and violent crime increased 53%. They quietly took the law off the books 18 months later and slowly the crimes dropped.

  19. Re:RIP restrained elegance by q_e_t · · Score: 1

    one of the nicest and most civil bondage sites, run literally by a husband and wife, had to cut back because of these laws.

    Since the laws haven't even been debated in parliament, that would be odd.

  20. Re:Censorship, and attempting to legislate moralit by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

    Jackass, stop trying to hijack the subject, this is not about THAT, it's about THIS, and you can't legislate morality because it DOES NOT WORK and never will, people will go find whatever it is they want regardless.

  21. Re:Censorship, and attempting to legislate moralit by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

    Yeah because that really stopped everyone didn't it? It also so really stopped Rock 'n Roll music from getting off the ground, too, and banning pornography and banning alcohol in the United States totally worked too didn't it? Oh wait none of those things are true! You're completely wrong and have no idea what you're talking about! Legislating morality never works because people will go find whatever it is they want to find.

  22. Re:Censorship, and attempting to legislate moralit by AHuxley · · Score: 1

    Re "in the United States".
    The UK is trying for new censorship again.
    The UK had a long history with police and what could be sold. What kind of printed and published material could be created and then sold in the UK and imported.
    This time of the internet.

    The USA had a lot more freedom to publish and sell printed material at the time.

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  23. Re:Censorship, and attempting to legislate moralit by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

    You're usually full of crap you know that? Nothing you say changes anything I said. People like what they like and they'll get it one way or another if they're motivated enough and governments can't stop that without being so authoritarian and dictatorial that any semblance of 'freedom' dissolves away. That's not the UK, not anytime soon, so I really don't see what you're going on about.

  24. Re:Censorship, and attempting to legislate moralit by AHuxley · · Score: 1

    Changes to the laws in the UK are about what can be published and seen on the internet. No US freedom of speech and freedom after speech in the UK. The UK has very different laws and had very different laws in the past covering what could be sold, imported, printed and published.
    Now the UK feels it is time to control the internet in the same way.

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  25. Re:Censorship, and attempting to legislate moralit by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

    They -- and you -- don't get it at all do you? People get blocked by the "Great Firewall of the UK", they'll get a VPN or use TOR and get what they want anyway. Do you really think they're going to ban TOR and VPNs? Good luck with that. If it's a website hosted within the UK then they'll get what they want at a website outside the UK. If a website is going to have it's business destroyed because of the overreach of the UK government, they'll move their hosting outside the UK. If the UK government goes completely China on them and tries to shut them down completely they'll just move it to some other country and give the UK government the finger. What do you think they're going to do then, arrest everyone? Better learn to speak Mandarin, then, because you're in communist China at that point. Don't you get it? You cannot legislate morality and you can't censor the ENTIRE internet, only what's in your country. They can pass whatever overreaching nanny-state laws they want but they're completely and totally toothless unless they want to invoke marshal law and lock the country down like it's some totalitarian state. You really think the people of the UK are going to sit still for that? You're nuts.

  26. Re:Censorship, and attempting to legislate moralit by AHuxley · · Score: 1

    VPN use can already be tracked by the GCHQ so thats not going offer any of the expected protection.
    Edgehill/Bullrun https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    Re "What do you think they're going to do then, arrest everyone?"
    More like the way EU nations track reports of any other wrong type of social media use.

    A visit by, a request to talk to the police. Plainclothes law enforcement and the person is given a more informal chat down about the what they have done.
    Should the person then go on doing illegal things the interviews become more enhanced.
    Uniformed police at a dwelling, at work. Formal and disruptive lengthy interviews with people at work. To get a deeper understanding of the person and their interaction with other people.

    Next step is a full medical evaluation. The person and their role within the wider community giving the location of their dwelling and type of work they do?
    Then the arrests start with prepared media coverage. To let the community know they are safe and that policing is working.
    Registration. So like the Social Credit System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... in China with its constant tracking but only used by police.

    The crypto is junk so its just a law needed to allow collection.
    To formally and legally break anonymous communication software? That would have to be considered given how much MI6 wants to support freedoms and revolutions globally and needs to be able to communicated with dissidents.

    Detected and decrypted VPN use by an individual would be less risk to go to court with and allow volunteer-operated anonymous communication to stay working.

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"