Just when you think things cannot get worse
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-45590297The UK government is considering "all options", including a regulator, as part of new legislation governing the internet.
It has previously said it will publish a White Paper in the coming months, laying out its proposals
* digital literacy programmes in schools
* greater transparency around online advertising
* forcing websites to remove illegal hate speech within a specific time period or face penalties. A similar law is in force in Germany
* making social networks verify the age of their users
* punishing social networks that failed to remove terror content or child abuse images
* restricting advertisements online for food and soft drink products that were high in salt, fat or sugar
It seems that the whole focus is on selected negative aspects of the online world, we often see such "extremist" talk from the govt when its desperate to get a new law passed, the ploy is the same each time, toss in some news soundbites about danger to children or terrorism and nearly all involved will feel powerless to vote against the proposal for fear of being singled out.
We need the UK's MP's to park their fears and do the decent thing in defending the productive online space that is still being data mined by the self same authorities for intelligence, when they effectively shut down free speech just how are they going to find the child attackers and terrorists ? Cake and eat it anyone ?
