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> Individuals running Minecraft and Mastodon servers for their friends needn't worry. Because they're too insignificant to matter, or because they won't be cov

> Individuals running Minecraft and Mastodon servers for their friends needn't worry. Because they're too insignificant to matter, or because they won't be covered by the law? It sounds like the former, but you seem to imply the latter.

cjs_ac 3y ago
It's a bit of both. The law states that Ofcom has to ask you for your risk assessments, and they can't ask you for those if they don't know you exist.
- hanniabu 3y ago
  That's not a legitimate defense
- monsieurbanana 3y ago
  I don't know if I'm missing some British humor here, that's absolutely not bit of both, that's squarely "because they're too insignificant to matter"
- mrd3v0 3y ago
  I am amazed by how okay you seem with this. Wow. Maybe it is me, who has already lived under a very similar set of laws and know that corporations are always the least hit by such laws. These are instruments that infringe on basic individual rights such as right to privacy. These instruments create systemic significant incentives to corruption, totalitarianism, (corporate and international) espionage, and so on. Rights groups, activists, whistle-blowers, prosecuted or rather marginalised minorities, and other legitimate groups and individuals are going to be impacted by this. Underplaying this is incredibly naïve and downright dangerous.
- b112 3y ago
  The law states that Ofcom has to ask you for your risk assessments, and they can't ask you for those if they don't know you exist. Good lord! That's the same logic one may employ as a criminal, say.. an inside trader! Well of course you won't get nabbed, if they don't know! So as soon as you do anything interesting, protest, stand up for a right, displease a cop, upset the wrong neighbour, you'll be noticed, eh? What a great law! Congrats, you made my neighbours wonder why I'm yelling at myself(seemingly) again. "Poor bbarnett, yelling in his empty house again, wonder when they'll take him away Marge?"
- dharmab 3y ago
  This comment reads like a Yes, Minister scene.
- janoc 3y ago
  You do realize that you "don't exist" only until one pissed off neighbor complains to OFCOM about you after your cat has pooped on their lawn one too many times? This is a rather incredible mindset to have, IMO. Even for me who doesn't quite subscribe to the constant Big Brother panic. This law gives the government a huge loaded gun that they can use to blast pretty much anyone they please with. But no worries, they aren't going to use it on you because you are too unimportant? And that still completely ignores the various collateral damages - such as if encryption is effectively outlawed because the regulatory hurdles associated with it are simply too high to bother with (just look at how many US websites rather block access from the EU instead of having to deal with GDPR compliance), then even if you aren't a target for the enforcement of this law your life could be very badly affected when your service provider gets hacked or your data get intercepted and some account of yours gets hijacked.
- mdekkers 3y ago
  Ah, so “if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear”, essentially. When they suddenly do know you exist, for example because you started protesting about human rights, or climate change, or excessive governmental investigatory powers, or whatever, suddenly someone can show on your doorstep saying “Well well well, what have we got here then” and sucking their teeth. Your argument isn’t only ill informed, it’s actively dangerous. Shame.
- kozzz 3y ago
  I remember quite similar discussions throughout the 2010s in Russia and now half of the internet is blocked there and people are being jailed every day for “spreading misinformation online”.

cjs_ac 3y ago

It's a bit of both. The law states that Ofcom has to ask you for your risk assessments, and they can't ask you for those if they don't know you exist.

hanniabu 3y ago
That's not a legitimate defense
monsieurbanana 3y ago
I don't know if I'm missing some British humor here, that's absolutely not bit of both, that's squarely "because they're too insignificant to matter"
mrd3v0 3y ago
I am amazed by how okay you seem with this. Wow. Maybe it is me, who has already lived under a very similar set of laws and know that corporations are always the least hit by such laws. These are instruments that infringe on basic individual rights such as right to privacy. These instruments create systemic significant incentives to corruption, totalitarianism, (corporate and international) espionage, and so on. Rights groups, activists, whistle-blowers, prosecuted or rather marginalised minorities, and other legitimate groups and individuals are going to be impacted by this. Underplaying this is incredibly naïve and downright dangerous.
b112 3y ago
The law states that Ofcom has to ask you for your risk assessments, and they can't ask you for those if they don't know you exist. Good lord! That's the same logic one may employ as a criminal, say.. an inside trader! Well of course you won't get nabbed, if they don't know! So as soon as you do anything interesting, protest, stand up for a right, displease a cop, upset the wrong neighbour, you'll be noticed, eh? What a great law! Congrats, you made my neighbours wonder why I'm yelling at myself(seemingly) again. "Poor bbarnett, yelling in his empty house again, wonder when they'll take him away Marge?"
dharmab 3y ago
This comment reads like a Yes, Minister scene.
janoc 3y ago
You do realize that you "don't exist" only until one pissed off neighbor complains to OFCOM about you after your cat has pooped on their lawn one too many times? This is a rather incredible mindset to have, IMO. Even for me who doesn't quite subscribe to the constant Big Brother panic. This law gives the government a huge loaded gun that they can use to blast pretty much anyone they please with. But no worries, they aren't going to use it on you because you are too unimportant? And that still completely ignores the various collateral damages - such as if encryption is effectively outlawed because the regulatory hurdles associated with it are simply too high to bother with (just look at how many US websites rather block access from the EU instead of having to deal with GDPR compliance), then even if you aren't a target for the enforcement of this law your life could be very badly affected when your service provider gets hacked or your data get intercepted and some account of yours gets hijacked.
mdekkers 3y ago
Ah, so “if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear”, essentially. When they suddenly do know you exist, for example because you started protesting about human rights, or climate change, or excessive governmental investigatory powers, or whatever, suddenly someone can show on your doorstep saying “Well well well, what have we got here then” and sucking their teeth. Your argument isn’t only ill informed, it’s actively dangerous. Shame.
kozzz 3y ago
I remember quite similar discussions throughout the 2010s in Russia and now half of the internet is blocked there and people are being jailed every day for “spreading misinformation online”.