Imgur Pulls Out of UK as Data Watchdog Threatens Fine (express.co.uk)
- Reference: 0179604268
- News link: https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/09/30/1715206/imgur-pulls-out-of-uk-as-data-watchdog-threatens-fine
- Source link: https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2115228/image-site-imgur-pulls-out
> The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) said that it has reached provisional findings in an investigation in the parent company of image hosting site, Imgur. Its probe was launched earlier this year, as part of the regulator's Children's Code strategy, which is intended to set the standards for how online services handle the personal information of young people.
BBC [2]adds :
> 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.
[1] https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2115228/image-site-imgur-pulls-out
[2] https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gzxv5gy3qo
More sites (Score:4, Insightful)
Should do this. The uk online is fucked. U need vpn 100% of time now. Can we get some real heavyweights pulling out of the UK too
Re: (Score:2)
Another solution is needed for people living in the UK, in addition to traditional VPNs; imo.
Something more like Tor but harder to simply block.
The UK government in the future is bound to try and extend their reach to VPN providers to block these services, or ban or age-restrict VPN providers requiring providers collect digital ID proof from their customers; you can just about guarantee it -- they've already started discussing it I'm sure
Re: (Score:1)
hell, anyone trying to control sites that aren't in their borders should be given the finger and cut off
what your citizens request is your problem, if you can't be assed to control their computers/requests then too bad, you can shut down mango imports but you don't dictate mango fields/factories elsewhere and you should get blackballed by the industry if you try
VPN usage (Score:2)
I am fairly confident that by now, basically everyone who wants to, is using a VPN -- tens of millions of people in the UK. Some will be using shitty VPNs that expose them to the risk of blackmail over their browsing habits, and this will include kids, but that is apparently a form of child harm that Ofcom will ignore.
Oh they know. (Score:2)
They're working on criminalizing VPNs. You're work VPN will be registered and everything else will be a crime.
Re: (Score:2)
So the rumour goes. We will see where it actually ends up.
Re: VPN usage (Score:1)
Looks like the App has been removed from the App Store too. I had a monthly subscription that has also disappeared... guess I won't be reinstating that if this shit show manages to reverse itself. I was spending too much time on that platform anyway.. it's all become filled with American politics and hate anyway.. guess a break will be good..
Will Wikimedia Commons be next? (Score:2)
If we are going after image hosts, start with the one that has poor enforcement of adult content and has already refused to comply. If the UK gets its way all unverified uploading of images on the internet could be banned until gone through the ministry of truth.
Re: (Score:1)
If they're going to go full orwell, at least try to disguise the name - ministry of truth sounds so ironic.
Re: (Score:2)
-> If they're going to go full orwell, at least try to disguise the name - ministry of truth sounds so ironic.
That is the disguised name, with the Newspeak version as "Minitrue".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministries_in_Nineteen_Eighty-Four
"The Ministry of Peace concerns itself with war, the Ministry of Truth with lies, the Ministry of Love with torture and the Ministry of Plenty with starvation. These contradictions are not accidental, nor do they result from ordinary hypocrisy: they are deliberate ex
Huh? (Score:3)
From the article:
> The ICO also confirmed that companies could not avoid accountability by withdrawing their services in the UK.
> Mr Capel said: “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.
So they want a change, the company says don't want to do that so we'll leave, but the company gets fined anyway? Unless the company has a presence in the UK, how can the fine be enforced?
Re: (Score:1)
Wishful thinking and blackmailing foreign 'officials' ?
Re: Huh? (Score:3)
> The ICO also confirmed that companies could not avoid accountability by withdrawing their services in the UK. Mr Capel said: âoeWe 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.
>> So they want a change, the company says don't want to do that so we'll leave, but the company gets fined anyway? Unless the company has a presence in the UK, how can the fine be enforced?
Emphasis mine. The ICO is saying that withdrawing from the UK does not excuse any past actions that may have been unlawful at the time.
Very annoying though, are there any other convenient free image hosting sites?
Re: (Score:2)
Tick Tock..Tick Tock...TikTok....I am sure someone in the country that loves "Freedom" will come up with a solution...
Re: (Score:2)
> Unless the company has a presence in the UK, how can the fine be enforced?
It does not get enforced, but that isn't a problem. If you as a human get fined e.g. for commit any infraction and leave the country, any fine you receive is unenforceable. It does not reduce the legitimacy of applying the fine.
too far (Score:1)
Don't really give a fuck about handing over my selfie to have a wank, but this is just taking the piss.
That's fine. I've got backups. (Score:2)
I've been saving my favourite gifs and memes for the past 5 years now. I've got enough to last me a lifetime.
Re: (Score:2)
One can certainly exist in a post-creation world, a world where content is frozen in time and no further commentary, expression, or art can realistically occur at the same pace. But being forced to that position because of government overreach ought to rub people the wrong way.