I don't manage a lot of infrastructure on the #Internet, but I manage quite a bit, and I am almost finished with #blocking the entire #UK over #OSA. I have no choice. The way the #law is written anyone who doesn't (and I don't believe in age-verification services as I find them a privacy mine field and nightmare) runs the #risk of an 18 million pound fine. If you have a server on the Internet you are a fool for not blocking all UK #traffic. Full stop. ---
If the UK Government requires people to verify their age to visit some websites, the age assurance industry must be regulated to ensure privacy and prevent identity theft. Your chums at @openrightsgroup invite you to sign their open letter: action.openrightsgroup.org/sig…Sign the open letter to DSIT on regulating age assurance
Dear Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, CC Ofcom CC ICO Age Assurance Must Be Safe, Private and Trusted We are writing to raise serious concerns about how age assurance is being implemented under the Online Safety Act.Open Rights Group
Marlin
in reply to George E. 🇺🇸♥🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ • • •George E. 🇺🇸♥🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
in reply to Marlin • • •They can and they are. If you publish anything that can remotely be considered harmful to children (at the UK Government's discretion) and you do not enact an age-verification-gateway you run the risk of ... get this ... (a) an 18 million Pound fine from the UK's OfCom or (b) 10% of your worldwide profits. Whichever is greater!
And considering that ALL of my sites are non-profit and non-commercial there's no way I can take an 18 million Pound risk.
Let's not forget this is the same UK Government that now considers information for trans people to be harmful now so we're not just talking porn.
Marlin
in reply to George E. 🇺🇸♥🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ • • •Yeah, terf-island. One more reason to just ignore the OSA and be loud about it, as long as one can.
I'm sure they can set a fine. But to my understanding, German courts (which would have jurisdiction in my area) don't recognize penalties resulting from UK court rulings/UK law. I'm sure that goes for most countries. Obviously it would become enforceable if one happens to enter UK territory.
Would probably still be a good idea to ask someone who has studied law about it.
George E. 🇺🇸♥🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
in reply to Marlin • • •Shalien
in reply to George E. 🇺🇸♥🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ • • •Troed Sångberg
in reply to George E. 🇺🇸♥🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ • • •George E. 🇺🇸♥🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
in reply to Troed Sångberg • • •INCORRECT.
It affects EVERYONE.
But don't believe me. Do whatever the fuck you want. I don't care.
Troed Sångberg
in reply to George E. 🇺🇸♥🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ • • •The UK does not have jurisdiction over a Swedish citizen (me).
That's how laws work.
George E. 🇺🇸♥🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
in reply to Troed Sångberg • • •Believe what you want. Frankly I don't care. 😉
The UK's Online Safety Act (OSA) can apply to your website even if you are not based in the UK, provided your site has "links to the UK." This includes if you have a significant number of UK users, if the UK is a target market for your site, or if your service is accessible to UK users and there is a material risk of significant harm to them[1][2][3][6].
Key points:
- Extraterritorial Scope: The OSA explicitly covers services operated from outside the UK if they meet the above criteria[1][2][3][6].
- What counts as a link to the UK:
- A "significant number" of UK users (undefined, but should be justifiable if challenged)[2][3].
- Actively targeting the UK as a market[1][2].
- The site being accessible to UK users and posing a material risk of harm to UK individuals[1][2].
- Exemptions include services like internal business tools, pure email services, SMS/MMS, and platforms where user interaction is strictly limited (such as product reviews only and no user-to-user replies)[2][3].
- Duties: If in scope, you must take steps to mitigate illegal and harmful content risks, especially for children, and have processes for content removal and user safety[1][6].
- Enforcement: Ofcom can issue fines up to £18 million or 10% of your worldwide turnover. In the most severe cases, they may demand UK payment providers, ISPs, or advertisers cut service to your website, potentially blocking UK access entirely[1][2].
- Small Sites: Ofcom is consulting on fee requirements; currently, only very large companies (over £250 million worldwide turnover and over £10 million UK turnover) are likely to face fees[2]. However, all in-scope sites—regardless of size—must meet content moderation and reporting obligations.
In summary:
If your website has UK users, is marketed to the UK, or presents risks to UK individuals, you are likely subject to the OSA, regardless of your location[1][2][3][6]. If you have no meaningful UK audience or market, you are likely out of scope. Enforcement outside the UK faces practical limits, but the law is written to include foreign sites in its reach[1][4].
[1] gov.uk/government/publications…[2] russ.garrett.co.uk/2024/12/17/…[3] fticonsulting.com/insights/art…[4] techdirt.com/2024/12/20/death-…[5] ppc.land/uk-online-safety-law-…[6] resourcespace.com/blog/online-…[7] theregister.com/2025/07/28/uk_…[8] reddit.com/r/discordapp/commen…[9] politico.eu/article/uk-online-…[10] support.discord.com/hc/en-us/a…
UK VPN demand soars after debut of Online Safety Act
Richard Speed (The Register)Troed Sångberg
in reply to George E. 🇺🇸♥🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ • • •As is clearly stated in what you quoted, they cannot enforce anything outside of the UK. That's because UK law only applies to people in the UK.
I have no idea how come you believe you need to follow the laws in every single country all over the world at the same time. Seems problematic.
George E. 🇺🇸♥🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
in reply to Troed Sångberg • • •I'm not having a philosophical debate with you about this.
Continue this topic further and I will block you.
Troed Sångberg
in reply to George E. 🇺🇸♥🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ • • •Yeah yeah, I know. Some people can't accept being shown wrong so they just block instead.
The text you quoted also explained how you in no way need to be worried about an 18 million pound fine.
Maybe you should research topics better before posting false statements in public if you can't accept getting corrected?
"full stop"