Petition to Stop the Online Forums Bill

[heresyandwitchcraft]

Just came across this petition to stop a bill that looks like it might make administrators responsible for content created by other users in private online groups.

I am personally inclined to believe such a bill is likely to affect closed forums full of gender-critical women, as discussed on a previous thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3361713-Bill-to-stamp-out-online-echo-chambers-of-hate

Summary of petition text:

Stop the Online Forums Bill 2017-18 becoming law.

Thought control by politicians, backed by the main stream media has led to ever more sinister intrusions into people's freedom to criticize public policy and assemble into campaign groups.

By requiring platforms to publish information about closed forums and making Administrators responsible for content is Orwellian and anti-democratic.

Link to Petition:
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/229013

The summary of the bill reads:
A Bill to make administrators and moderators of certain online forums responsible for content published on those forums; to require such administrators and moderators to remove certain content; to require platforms to publish information about such forums; and for connected purposes.

Parliament Website:
services.parliament.uk/bills/2017-19/onlineforums.html

Twitter Thread about it:
twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1039402338648313856

Please have a real think about where you stand on this. Considering what we've seen with Linda, Posie and Venice this could affect everyone on the frontline of free-speech issues, which is where gender-critical women find themselves. (To be honest, this may even impact trans activists, because we know they also have their own private groups...)

[Serfisafleur]

Thanks

[GulagsMyArse]

signed

[Needmoresleep]

Is it mainly aimed at radical Islamic groups? The ones who may attempt to groom young people, male and female?

[LittleMissedTheSunshine]

It may be to start with need but guess who's likely to get it used for other purposes if it becomes law??

[WatchThePotatoesBoil]

It doesn't matter one jot who it is aimed at. These types of law are routinely misapplied to limit the freedom of normal, law-abiding people.

[heresyandwitchcraft]

It might be drafted for specific reasons. But some people think a billboard with the dictionary definition of woman is actually transphobic. This forum gets accused of promoting hate on the regular. Therefore I have every reason to fear that legislation such as this would be employed against ordinary people. Gender-critical women are already having trouble talking about basic biology.

[LilyMumsnet]

Hi all

We're just moving this over to the petitions topic now.