🚨 Wide ranging powers to restrict Internet access in the UK have been voted through 🚨

Ministers will be able to impose digital ID checks, curfews and VPN restrictions without Parliamentary scrutiny.

This can be used on websites, social media, apps and games with no need to show there's any harm to children.

Find out more ⬇️

openrightsgroup.org/press-rele…

#onlinesafety #digitalid #id #privacy #ageverification #freedomofexpression #ukpolitics #ukpol

MPs give ministers powers to restrict entire Internet

MPs have rejected a Lords amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would allow a social media ban for under 16s.

^{Open Rights Group}

“When you create a law, you have to think about what a future government could do with those powers."

Ministers would have unilateral powers to lock what they see as 'harmful' behind digital ID checks.

This could end up being used on LGBTQ+ and reproductive health content.

🗣️ ORG's James Baker.

politico.eu/article/uk-eyes-sw…

#onlinesafety #digitalid #privacy #freedomofexpression #ageverification #ukpolitics #ukpol

UK eyes sweeping powers to regulate tech  

The U.K. government has laid two amendments that would let it sidestep parliamentary debate so it can update online safety laws.

^{Mizy Clifton (POLITICO)}

🚨 ID checks to get online could become the new norm 🚨

A new amendment would give the UK government sweeping powers to block access to lawful information and communications.

That's unless we submit our identification to a bounty of providers.

Tell your MP to stop this broad and repressive law ⬇️

action.openrightsgroup.org/no-…

#privacy #freedomofexpression #ageverification #digitalID #onlinesafety #ukpolitics #ukpol

No ID Checks for Web Access

Take action! What’s the problem? The Government has proposed amendments to the Children Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which would give Ministers the power to restrict access to "internet services".

^{Open Rights Group}

"My numbers are tanking, my Party is in open rebellion, I really need a good policy that the public can get behind me on....."

#KeirStarmer #Starmer #DigitalID #UKPOL #UKPOLITICS #Labour

I've still not heard back from my MP Steve Reed, about the letter I sent to him about this.

Shower of bastards.

#Labour #Ofcom #OnlineSafetyAct #UKPOL #UKPolitics

Saddling small sites with the same duties as huge platforms means many will shut down in a hammer blow to net plurality.

We'll be left with the Sophie’s choice of monopoly services; the incubators of online harms.

URGENT: The UK government must change the Online Safety Act to protect safe, non-commercial blogs, forums and fediverse.

Write to your MP to #SaveOurSites 🌐

action.openrightsgroup.org/sav…

#onlinesafetyact #onlinesafety #fediverse #ukpolitics #ukpol #activitypub #mastodon #netplurality

Save our sites - Write to your MP

Small UK websites, user-to-user services and even computer games that are completely safe and well managed, are faced with difficult paperwork, risks assessments, registration and fines thanks to the Online Safety Act.

^{Open Rights Group}

🚨 BREAKING 🚨

The UK is rogue in trying to order a backdoor to Apple encryption.

US lawmakers slam the UK's secretive order, calling it what it is:

🔥 'Dangerous' for global cybersecurity
🔥 'Effectively a foreign cyberattack'

The Home Office must back off ✋

#encryption #surveillance #e2ee #cybersecurity #ukpolitics #ukpol #Apple #privacy

washingtonpost.com/technology/…

It couldn't be clearer: Encryption is online safety.

It keeps our data secure from hackers. Our systems secure from global bad actors. Our rights secure from State oppression in a digitalised society.

Sign and share our petition to save Apple encrypted data ⬇️

#encryption #surveillance #e2ee #cybersecurity #ukpolitics #ukpol #Apple

you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions…

Keep our Apple data encrypted

It is reported that the Home Office has ordered Apple to build a backdoor into its encrypted services so that they can get hold of content that any Apple user has upload to the cloud. Encryption keeps our private information safe and secure.

^{38 Degrees}

Turns out ecologists and entomologists around the world have been warning about declining insect numbers for years. The culprits are climate change, habitat loss, light pollution, intensive farming, pesticide and fertiliser use. But it’s a struggle to get people to act.

It’s not just about bees and butterflies, the poster children of the pollinator world. Other, less photogenic pollinators such as hoverflies, moths, wasps, soldier beetles and earwigs are also showing declines. Several of these species don’t just pollinate. They also eat the pest insects that ruin crops.

Already, in the apple and pear orchards of south-west China, depleted populations of pollinators have forced farmers to hand-pollinate their trees, carrying pots of pollen and paintbrushes with which to individually pollinate every flower. If it sounds labour-intensive and time-consuming, that’s because it is.

#green #ukpolitics #uspol #ukpol #climate #environment #insects #agriculture #farming

archive.ph/tvnld#selection-165…

Here's a list of everyone standing for election who has a Mastodon account:

candidates.democracyclub.org.u…

Only 11 candidates so far.

If you know of any others, please add it to their candidate page.

If you know of anyone standing, please encourage them to join the Fediverse.

#UKPolitics #GE2024

The #PrivilegesCommittee report has its eyes on Boris Johnson. But the contempt for transparency and accountability goes beyond one person. It pervaded his government and those since.

#BorisJohnson has left a legacy of impunity and the legislative means to control it. This extends into threats to #humanrights, the courts and attempts to reduce electoral accountability.

ORG's Exec Director @jim explores the impact on our rights.

#ukpolitics

openrightsgroup.org/blog/impun…

Impunity pervades post-Johnson Government

Johnson’s lack of candour might look like a personal phenomenon, but it was something which pervaded his government.

^{Open Rights Group}

🟠Solidarity demo for Just Stop Oil and open letter

Today in Helsinki by the 🇬🇧embassy!

🟠Read and sign our open letter - we demand release of JSO prisoners (who got 3yrs and 2yrs 7mths in prison) and express the concern for the new police laws in the UK which severely damage civil liberties.

🟠Please support the peaceful climate protestors, and uphold the right to protest.

facebook.com/events/2262020566…?

tinyurl.com/FreeMorganAndMarcu…

#ClimateCrisis #JustStopOil #ukpolitics #democracy #justice #climate

🚨 WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Over 320 people have joined our campaign to #StopTheSpyClause in the Online Safety Bill (UK).

Will you join the movement to protect your privacy? #DontScanMe

#OnlineSafetyBill #privacy #e2ee #ukpolitics #surveillance

action.openrightsgroup.org/don…

Join the Campaign to Stop the Spy Clause

Take action to oppose mass survillance of our private messages

^{Open Rights Group}