Current Events > Porn sites in the UK could soon "require" (lol) credit card details

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/17/age-checks-introduced-porn-websites-uk-credit-card-details

The first steps in forcing pornography websites to check that users are over 18 will be be announced by the government this week in an effort to make the internet safer for children.

Websites flouting new rules, which are set to be part of the Digital Economy Act, could find that a regulator has told their internet service providers to block access to them. Those who provide payment and other services to such sites could also be asked to impose restrictions.

Porn site users will have to provide details from a credit card, which cannot be legally issued to anyone under 18, according to the Mail on Sunday. Gambling websites use the same system of verification.

Oh, the UK government don't have a clue, do they?

For a start, what numpties are going to put their credit card details into dodgy porn sites? That's a rhetorical question actually. Some no doubt will. I mean, they already do for paid sites, only now they'll "have to" for all sites (well, I say all, but that's easier said than done).

Second, the system works for gambling sites because obviously you need money to gamble. For porn websites, however? As long as you can get around the credit card check, you're good. That's as simple as making it seem like you're visiting from a country without these checks (i.e. using a VPN).

Third, how are they going to get sites to comply?

Fourth, blocking sites at the ISP level rarely works. Are they going to ban VPNs next? Oh shit, better not give them any ideas.

Fifth, what about non-porn sites that happen to have pornographic content? They'll be (attempting to) block half the bloody web.

Sixth, what if a kid "borrows" their parents' credit card and uses it to sign up to a porn site (with the inherent security pitfalls that entails)?

There are just so many ways that this can (and will) come crashing down. For example, Brits will be ripe for picking by Russian/Chinese/North Korean hackers, criminals, etc..

I see the UK is still on their holy war against pornography, as if that's responsible for all the world's ills.
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If they stop people that are under 18 from looking at porn maybe terrorism will stop
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You know, I saw a TED talk where the guy was basically saying he believes the dark web will be the norm in the future for regular people. People like their privacy and most not because they want to do illegal stuff. He made a lot of good points and when I see stuff like this, it really starts making more sense.
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Wreck_Chords posted...

You know, I saw a TED talk where the guy was basically saying he believes the dark web will be the norm in the future for regular people. People like their privacy and most not because they want to do illegal stuff. He made a lot of good points and when I see stuff like this, it really starts making more sense.

You have projects like ZeroNet: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZeroNet

Decentralized internet. It doesn't really tackle the anonymity issue on its own (although apparently ZeroNet has in-built Tor functionality), but makes it a lot more difficult to take sites down.

Our government is clueless when it comes to the Internet, and our public wants our government to do all the work so they don't have to be responsible from keeping their shitty kids from looking at porn.
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Alucard188 posted...

I see the UK is still on their holy war against pornography, as if that's responsible for all the world's ills.

Didn't you know that God hates people having sex, and will punish countries allowing this filth to run amok?
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UK government backwards with internet, no surprise there
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Howl posted...

Alucard188 posted...

I see the UK is still on their holy war against pornography, as if that's responsible for all the world's ills.

Didn't you know that God hates people having sex, and will punish countries allowing this filth to run amok?

God is perfectly fine with people paying £25 for a quickie with an East European "model" in a walk-up somewhere in SoHo.
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Parappa09 posted...

UK government backwards with internet, no surprise there

Yup. Completely moronic and clearly have no actual idea about cyber security which makes me worried about it in general.
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This will go over about as well as a lead zeppelin
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These fucking tories, jesus fucking christ
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Porn is a threat to teenagers confirmed
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Why does the UK government have such a hatred of porn?
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Wreck_Chords posted...

You know, I saw a TED talk where the guy was basically saying he believes the dark web will be the norm in the future for regular people. People like their privacy and most not because they want to do illegal stuff. He made a lot of good points and when I see stuff like this, it really starts making more sense.

Nah, I think VPN services will boom before that.
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Conservatives are terrified of Sharia Law, but they implement it themselves.
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Kids will just use their parents' credit cards to browse porn lol
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The Conservative Party at work
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YellowSUV posted...

Conservatives are terrified of Sharia Law, but they implement it themselves.

They do seem to have seen what China is doing and gone "Let's do that!" or similar.

Monkhood posted...

Kids will just use their parents' credit cards to browse porn lol

And all the dodgy places will get hacked and everyone's credit card details will be easily leaked.
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Ugh

Antifar posted...

Big government at work

ftfy

Surely these shitty ideas about censoring the internet will be stopped once younger people who actually know how to use it grow up and become the people taking office



right?
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