For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
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For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
As long as you are not a "company" then would it even apply?
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For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
@GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social ...doesn't that basically mean, that any sort of service that can be used by others requires a license? I mean, mail, file, DNS, etc with internet facing interfaces that can be used with or without account seems to get hit by this??
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For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
@GossiTheDog Dear oh dear.
And not particularly the point here, but I like seeing Floella in the House of Lords. -
For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
@GossiTheDog Good spot!
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For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
@GossiTheDog Wow, what an extremely silly bill.
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For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
@GossiTheDog what are the odds the licensing requirements include a backdoor?
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For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
@GossiTheDog I wonder if this would criminalize someone setting up a BBS and inviting their friends.
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For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
@GossiTheDog Do we have a legal definition of a 'social media platform' yet? It seems like ministers are keen on passing vague laws, but not on getting into detail.
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For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
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For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
@GossiTheDog
It's 'merely' requiring admins to obtain a license from Ofcom.
You can hear the politicians touting the reasonableness of the idea.
Yet, we all know, within short order 'age-verification' will be a prerequisite. etc. etc.
Sigh. -
For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
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For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
So... If I start hosting a forum about, let's say SMD resistors, using 1990's web based free open sourced forum software, I could be arrested at the airport in UK. Got it.
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@GossiTheDog Do we have a legal definition of a 'social media platform' yet? It seems like ministers are keen on passing vague laws, but not on getting into detail.
There is a definition in a bill that would also cover a public Forgejo server.
Also 'BE IT ENACTED by the King's most Excellent Majesty' do these people actually listen to themselves??
No king but king Ludd!
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For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
@GossiTheDog this is terrifying! I can totally see this idea spreading like wildfires now that gating is normalised.
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For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
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For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
@GossiTheDog Does that mean that every enterprise Microsoft customer in the country will need a license? They bundle that Yammer/Viva Engage nonsense with everything.
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@fella @GossiTheDog That's just "The House of Lords" which has to approve new legislation as well as the "House of Commons".
Lords Spiritual are Bishops of the Church of England, who are allowed to vote in the House of Lords.
Lords Temporal are people who have been made a Lord by the government (or, in the past, inherited the title).
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@GossiTheDog I wonder if this would criminalize someone setting up a BBS and inviting their friends.
@shadows @GossiTheDog Arguably not if it’s for that group of friends to “communicate privately”.
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For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
@GossiTheDog They'll need to define "social media platform".
Will this law apply to me if I run a web-based old-school Forum?
[and, technically speaking, the entire Internet is available to users in the UK]
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For any fellow Mastodon server admins in the UK, I'm aware of the Social Media Platforms (Ofcom Licensing) Act 2026.
It would make it basically illegal to run a Mastodon server as a UK citizen.
It's a private member's bill and it's not likely to pass, I'm starting the lobbying against it. It won't pass on my watch. It's a good faith effort to solve a very specific problem but it's too broad.
https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/67647/documents/8738
@GossiTheDog yew got a loicins for that, guvnah?
