Porn block in UK, may also tie into why this site it being blocked in the UK.

[genie]

Major pornography sites to introduce 'robust' age verification for UK users

Under the Online Safety Act, age verification and age estimation must be "highly effective" at correctly determining whether a user is under 18 for sites hosting harmful content.

news.sky.com

While I disagree with this site being blocked in the UK, I can under stand the necessity of it. Especially with the news of another stupid piece of legislation being enacted by Ofcom. I love the UK, but the internet here is becoming an authoritarian nightmare. Another reason to use a VPN.

 

[concession]

Major pornography sites to introduce 'robust' age verification for UK users

Under the Online Safety Act, age verification and age estimation must be "highly effective" at correctly determining whether a user is under 18 for sites hosting harmful content.

news.sky.com

While I disagree with this site being blocked in the UK, I can under stand the necessity of it. Especially with the news of another stupid piece of legislation being enacted by Ofcom. I love the UK, but the internet here is becoming an authoritarian nightmare. Another reason to use a VPN.

Do not want to srtart a holy war here, but porn access for underaged is a serious issue. I am kinda glad someone is starting to take this seriously.

But online surveilance and UK demands to undermine encryption in Apple devices is a huge issue, agree with you on that.

 

[GhostInTheMachine]

Do not want to srtart a holy war here, but porn access for underaged is a serious issue. I am kinda glad someone is starting to take this seriously.

But online surveilance and UK demands to undermine encryption in Apple devices is a huge issue, agree with you on that.

Honestly, I think the issue is less with actual porn sites, and more with normal platforms *cough*Youtube, Twitter, Insta, etc*cough* basically shoving what is basically porn with a few censor bars in front of kids (oftentimes not even that). Kids are going to see explicit content on a "safe" website way before they ever venture into finding a proper porn site, and that is more of an issue of absolutely no parental supervision, and platforms knowing that they can sell sex to kids (which itself is not a new phenomena) basically unchallenged.

Back in my day (Oh goodness, I'm really this old now), every single website that was advertised came with the disclaimer of "Kids, get your parents permission before going online", and while we can safely assume that didn't do much, it's at least something to even attempt to foster a culture of making sure your kids aren't blindly treading hazardous waters.

 

[Unbearable Mr. Bear]

Ah yes, since parents decide to have children they can't parent properly, the government has to do the job the parents ought to do: Monitor their fucking children!

What a world we live in.

 

[concession]

Honestly, I think the issue is less with actual porn sites, and more with normal platforms *cough*Youtube, Twitter, Insta, etc*cough* basically shoving what is basically porn with a few censor bars in front of kids (oftentimes not even that). Kids are going to see explicit content on a "safe" website way before they ever venture into finding a proper porn site, and that is more of an issue of absolutely no parental supervision, and platforms knowing that they can sell sex to kids (which itself is not a new phenomena) basically unchallenged.

Back in my day (Oh goodness, I'm really this old now), every single website that was advertised came with the disclaimer of "Kids, get your parents permission before going online", and while we can safely assume that didn't do much, it's at least something to even attempt to foster a culture of making sure your kids aren't blindly treading hazardous waters.

Oh 100% with you, youtube/insta/etc softporn is a huge issue too, but the regulation is even harder in that case.
I am glad that someone started doing at least something, maybe someday this will get better...

 

[SVEN]

Here in the UK the most controlling, dictatorial and incompetent government in my lifetime wishes to control our finances, where we live (or exist) and what we can view or listen to.
They'll always find an excuse to impose further controls "for our own good".

 

[Unbearable Mr. Bear]

Here in the UK the most controlling, dictatorial and incompetent government in my lifetime wishes to control our finances, where we live (or exist) and what we can view or listen to.
They'll always find an excuse to impose further controls "for our own good".

Isn't that every government?

 

[Dejected 55]

I'm torn on some things like this. I've always felt I was exposed to some adult media years before I was ready to handle it. Even before the Internet, it was easier than it should be for underage kids to be exposed to adult content without adult supervision.

Parents do shirk responsibility here quite a bit. Leaning more towards wanting it banned from everyone just because they can't handle their pwn parenting responsibilities.

On top of that, sex education for kids isn't great. What I got in school was minimal and clinical vs what I got "on the street" being misinformed and way more detailed than I could handle at the time.

I don't think as an adult now I am ruined by early porn exposure... but I feel confident in saying a portion of my youth was worse than it should have been. Thinking back, I honestly had to kind of piece together a lot of truths from the minimal info from school the skewed perspective stuff I saw in porn and then some common sense. I'm embarrassed to admit some basic aspects of sexual activity were a question mark for me a few years longer than they should have been even with too-early exposure to porn.

But I think the bottom line is that if people are going to have kids, they need to own educating their kids and being their for their kids and ensuring their kids are comfortable coming to them with questions. I'm not saying it is easy or won't be uncomfortable... but you'll be a better parent, produce a better kid, and your kid will appreciate you for it.

 

[genie]

Do not want to srtart a holy war here, but porn access for underaged is a serious issue. I am kinda glad someone is starting to take this seriously.

But online surveilance and UK demands to undermine encryption in Apple devices is a huge issue, agree with you on that.

Disagree. Parents should be monitoring their children's internet activity and taking steps to make sure their children aren't accessing this content. Adults shouldn't have to be punished because some parent choose not to look after their children. It's up to them, not the government. Over 18 sites are already blocked by most ISPs unless you remove the adult content filter.

 

[Unbearable Mr. Bear]

Disagree. Parents should be monitoring their children's internet activity and taking steps to make sure their children aren't accessing this content. Adults shouldn't have to be punished because some parent choose not to look after their children. It's up to them, not the government. Over 18 sites are already blocked by most ISPs unless you remove the adult content filter.

You basically said what I was going to say but much better so...yeah...if you don't wanna parent, don't be a parent.

 

[Dejected 55]

I try to stay out of telling people how to parent... but... as an example... a long time ago a place I worked there was a guy and he and his wife were about to have their first child. They were all happy and posting pictures of her pregnant and then immediately after birth had lots of pictures... and they couldn't wait to be parents... except... I shit you not, within weeks of birth both parents couldn't wait to get back to work.

I mean, I get raising kids is tough... but that really should be no surprise to anyone at this point. It's the worst kept secret ever. But I feel like a lot of people have kids either because they think they are supposed to OR they want all the fun of pictures and "look at my baby" without any of the responsibility of actually being a parent.

These days I know it's rough and a lot of times both parents have to work to support the family. I get that. What I'm talking about are the people who whether they had to work or not can't wait to get away from their kids and let someone else do the hard parts of raising them every day. I don't understand it.

This discussion is just an extension of that. Have someone else stop your kid from seeing adult things... you don't feel responsibility to watch your kids and teach them yourself? Yes, you can't watch them all the time... but you can take some measures and you can talk to your kids so they know about things before they accidentally stumble on them and let them know it is safe to ask you anything.

Same thing about people freaking out wanting religion "back" in schools. Hey, how about you as the parent teach your kids about your religion like I would think your religion would want you to do... do not rely or force others to do that for you... and don't try to impose your religion or beliefs on other people. Do your job and encourage other people to do theirs. We could all be better off.

 

[Unbearable Mr. Bear]

Govt.: Hey, parents, don't worry about your kids, just keep making them and we'll shape them to be perfect fodder for our system! No need to parent, just go breed and fill our human pens with disposable lives like you always do.

 

[psp3000]

Back in my day (Oh goodness, I'm really this old now), every single website that was advertised came with the disclaimer of "Kids, get your parents permission before going online", and while we can safely assume that didn't do much, it's at least something to even attempt to foster a culture of making sure your kids aren't blindly treading hazardous waters.

^^
there really aren't any online spaces for kids anymore too which is sad (Poptropica, Club Penguin, Wizard 101, all the classics etc. but also dangers in online childrens games are up) + a lack of parental supervision which probably started with those parents who just give their kids a phone or iPad (there wouldn't be anything wrong with that IF the parents 1. actually knew what their kids were doing or watching on there 2. limited their time on it)

also I don't think parents or schools are teaching their kids about stranger danger or internet safety as a whole anymore like back in the day

Spoiler: video by LiSpeaks that I have yet to finish that was just talking about this

 

[SVEN]

Isn't that every government?

I guess so, Mr B, however this present UK regime of farcical fools have raised it to an art form.

 

[Dejected 55]

Someone mentioned Stranger Danger... that whole movement backfired I think. Kids have a natural sense, similar to animals, of who can be trusted and who can't. Parents can encourage this "skill" but often they don't.

In the olden days parents just let kids run wild, which made them vulnerable to "stranger danger" and fortunately it doesn't happen as much as scare tactics would have you think... most people are okay... but it happens enough, and happening at all is bad, so kids need to be taught and encouraged how to be safe.

Flip this around, though... kids started being taught to be scared of all strangers because "you never know". It was an earlier version of man vs bear, frankly... teaching kids to just be scared of everyone because everyone was out to get them... but encouraging kids to always trust authority like police, even though police aren't all good... and oh, most kids are abducted or abused by someone they know... so turns out, being scared of strangers and encouraging complete trust in friends and families messes up a kid's natural defense intuitions and they run from all strangers, whether a threat or not, and trust all family, whether a threat or not.

Knee-jerk reactions never help anyone. Parents could just try being parents and teaching their kids to observe and be aware of their surroundings and to "read the tea leaves" so to speak. I know, for instance, I am horrible at reading people. I don't pick up on social cues at all. So I have to revert to just not trusting anyone be they friend or family stranger or known... because it's the only way to be sure. Because natural instincts weren't encouraged when I must have had them... and now I'm lost.

Fortunately, as far as I know, I've never been abducted or abused in that manner... but, it's more luck than anything else.

Some people really do love and teach their kids. Sometimes bad stuff still happens... but it could be way less bad stuff if parents and society did a better job.

 

[GhostInTheMachine]

Modern day stranger danger is just "PREDATORS, GROOMERS, PEDOS" thumbnails that you see on every drama slop video on Youtube. Kids these days have simultaneously a worse sense of stranger danger, while being so hyperaware and hyperparanoid about it that it's comical.

I'll also have the absolutely apocalyptic take here. I really don't give a shit that kids watch porn. It's literally a natural compulsion when puberty hits which is fine to indulge in if it's done in moderation, and most importantly of all KNOWING WHAT YOU'RE DOING. The biggest danger with pornography is addiction and unrealistic standards being imparted on the youth. That's why it's important that parents, especially today, fucking talk to their kids about sex. They need to understand that while it's ok to feel what they're feeling, and enjoy themselves with it, they can't let themselves be consumed by that dopamine hit and begin to think that this is what real sex is like.

Of course, you have conservatives (not sorry for calling a spade a spade here) who feel all icky telling their kids about a literal biological function, and even non-ideologically motivated people just get shook even thinking about telling their kids about sex. Like come on people, they're going to find out eventually, so fucking grow up and tell them. I'd rather my child know about sex from me and understand that they're not wrong for feeling it, that the world around them likes to contort it, and that they can be safe and responsible with it. I wouldn't give two shits if they're watching porn unless it's something that's genuinely holding them back in life.

 

[Unbearable Mr. Bear]

fucking talk to their kids about sex

That is really something that is not done enough. Educate children on what it actually is, what it ensues, what is masturbation, how porn is just a fantasy and not real life, how it's okay to have attraction, etc, etc, etc...but then I remember that there are parents that don't know any of that to teach...

Really, I think just teaching this to people would have way less lives ruined. If you don't teach your children stuff, they are going to learn from another source, and possibly in a harmful way. Parents are even free to deflect and say they don't know these things because society didn't helping them on that regard because that's the truth: The more people, the cheaper the workforce, no fucks given to actual lives.

 

[KillingPain267]

Ah yes, since parents decide to have children they can't parent properly, the government has to do the job the parents ought to do: Monitor their fucking children!

What a world we live in.

I agree with this. But mama bear can fix the broken world, even if just a little bit with big bear hugs.

 

[Unbearable Mr. Bear]

I agree with this. But mama bear can fix the broken world, even if just a little bit with big bear hugs.

Oh, my darling, you're so kind! *hugs* Mama tries her best, but she knows she's just one. I just hope I can spread this so that people become kinder when kindness is shown towards them.

 

[psp3000]

That's why it's important that parents, especially today, fucking talk to their kids about sex.

also so then they can know when someone is crossing a boundary and what boundaries are in general / what is appropriate and what is inappropriate

especially since I think sex ed. these days is still abstinence only stuff (which avoids talking about rape, sexual coercion, and date rape etc. and what to do in such a situation or who to go to and signs something is off or wrong)

Really, I think just teaching this to people would have way less lives ruined. If you don't teach your children stuff, they are going to learn from another source, and possibly in a harmful way.

^^

 

[Dejected 55]

By not teaching kids about the good parts of sex and treating it all like it is toxic... you all but ensure your kid is going to learn wrong things from the wrong people and either be permanently scarred and held back OR spend years having to reconfigure and reeducate themselves at some point to have a semblance of a peaceful life.

You're not doing your kids any favors trying to hide them from everything OR burying your head in the sand and pretending like if you don't know about it that it doesn't happen. Just talk to your damn kids if you're going to have them. You literally owe it to your kids first and society second to help your kids be as well adjusted as possible for the fucked up fuckery they are going to encounter the rest of their lives.