A brave new world: La sociedad por venir

[Cadavre Exquis]

https://elpais.com/tecnologia/2025-09-30/openai-ultima-el-lanzamiento-de-una-red-social-de-videos-generados-por-ia-similar-a-tiktok.html

Saludos.

[muyuu]

desde el 30 de septiembre no puedo ver imágenes de imgur desde el Reino Unido, y son la mayoría que yo mismo he posteado y las de Cadavre también

Brave New World indeed

encima imgur bloquea casi todos los VPNs, afortunadamente algún conservo alguno que no bloquea


https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gzxv5gy3qo

Image-hosting platform Imgur has blocked people in the UK from accessing its content.

Imgur is used by millions to make and share images such as memes across the web, particularly on Reddit and in online forums.

But UK users trying to access Imgur on Tuesday were met with an error message saying "content not available in your region" - with Imgur content shared on other websites also no longer showing.

The UK's data watchdog, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), said it recently notified the platform's parent company, MediaLab AI, of plans to fine Imgur after probing its approach to age checks and use of children's personal data.

The BBC has approached MediaLab AI for comment.

A help article on Imgur's US website, seen by the BBC, states that "from September 30, 2025, access to Imgur from the United Kingdom is no longer available".

"UK users will not be able to log in, view content, or upload images. Imgur content embedded on third-party sites will not display for UK users."

The ICO launched its investigation into Imgur in March - saying it would probe whether the companies were complying with both the UK's data protection laws, and the children's code.

These require platforms to take steps to protect children using online services in the UK, including minimising the amount of the data they collect from them.

A document published by the ICO alongside the launch of its investigation stated that Imgur did not ask visitors to declare their age when setting up an account.

It said on Tuesday it had reached initial findings in its investigation and, on 10 September, issued MediaLab with a notice of intent to impose a fine.

"Our findings are provisional and the ICO will carefully consider any representations from MediaLab before taking a final decision whether to issue a monetary penalty," said Tim Capel, an interim executive director at the ICO.

"We have been clear that exiting the UK does not allow an organisation to avoid responsibility for any prior infringement of data protection law, and our investigation remains ongoing."

The watchdog would not elaborate on what its findings were, nor the details of the potential fine, when asked by the BBC.

"This update has been provided to give clarity on our investigation, and we will not be providing any further detail at this time," Mr Capel said in his statement.

'Commercial decision'

 

Some Imgur users and reports speculated as to whether Imgur moved to block UK users from its services, rather than comply with child safety duties recently imposed on some platforms under the Online Safety Act.

Among these are requirements for sites allowing pornography or content promoting suicide and self-harm to use technology to check whether visitors are over 18.

But both the ICO and Ofcom - the media regulator enforcing the Online Safety Act - said Imgur suspending access for UK users had been its own "commercial decision".

"Imgur's decision to restrict access in the UK is a commercial decision taken by the company and not a result of any action taken by Ofcom," an Ofcom spokesperson told the BBC.

"Other services run by MediaLab remain available in the UK – such as Kik messenger, which has implemented age assurance to comply with the Online Safety Act."

Imgur said in the help article on its US website that UK users could exercise their rights under data protection law and request to receive a copy of their data or request to delete their account.

https://old.reddit.com/r/RimWorld/comments/1nufmze/imgur_now_blocked_in_the_uk_steam_workshop_pages/

[muyuu]

y ahora tenemos un pulso con 4chan del que me temo que Ofcom (el regulador de comunicaciones del RU) va a salir humillado

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/news/ofcom-update-on-online-safety-act-investigations

Ofcom envía amenazas veladas a los servicios que deciden simplemente bloquear al Reino Unido en lugar de plegarse a sus regulaciones de censura

In response to the Online Safety Act, we are seeing more and more companies simply blocking access to UK users as it is not worth their time to deal with UK regulation, or as we suspect with 4chan, they politically believe that such regulation is draconian and needs to be fought on a matter of principle.

Ofcom states that it has closed such investigations against four file sharing sites who have done this, confirming that blocking UK users is a legitimate response to its enquiries. They are saying that they will continue to monitor those sites to ensure the blocks remain effective. The regulator regards these blocks as success stories as it ” has significantly reduced the likelihood that people in the UK will be exposed to any illegal or harmful content”. This action has also meant a suicide forum is no longer available in the U.K.

We obviously have no way of knowing the extent of the problems in relation to those sites, however if they are distributing CSAM content (or promoting topics like suicide for that matter; albeit the topic is possibly a bit more nuanced given recent political discourse), very few people would take issue with their unavailability. Eventually however it’s likely this will veer into more grey areas around other types of content in terms of people’s views on censorship which may be more controversial.

Ofcom also take issue with anyone who blocks UK users telling them how to work around the restrictions such as the use of services which may route your traffic via other countries. If you ask your favourite AI how to circumvent the OSA restrictions, it doesn’t want to help you, but does so anyway

“Today sends a clear message that any service which flagrantly fails to engage with Ofcom and their duties under the Online Safety Act can expect to face robust enforcement action.

We’re also seeing some services take steps to introduce improved safety measures as a direct result of our enforcement action. Services who choose to restrict access rather than protect UK users remain on our watchlist as we continue to monitor their availability to UK users”

Suzanne Cater, Director of Enforcement, Ofcom

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/10/4chan-fined-26k-for-refusing-to-assess-risks-under-uk-online-safety-act/

If 4chan continues to ignore Ofcom, the forum could be blocked in the UK. And 4chan could face even bigger fines totaling about $23 million or 10 percent of 4chan’s worldwide turnover, whichever is higher. 4chan also faces potential arrest and/or “imprisonment for a term of up to two years,” the lawsuit said.

It seems likely that 4chan won’t engage with Ofcom, arguing in the lawsuit that Ofcom is seeking to “control” the Internet, which is “predominantly an American innovation.” A lawyer for 4chan, Ronald Coleman, previously told the BBC that Ofcom’s enforcement of OSA threatened “the free speech rights of every American.”