441
when Wikipedia is suing you, you might be the bad guy
this post was submitted on 11 Aug 2025
441 points (99.8% liked)
Privacy
41002 readers
879 users here now
A place to discuss privacy and freedom in the digital world.
Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.
In this community everyone is welcome to post links and discuss topics related to privacy.
Some Rules
- Posting a link to a website containing tracking isn't great, if contents of the website are behind a paywall maybe copy them into the post
- Don't promote proprietary software
- Try to keep things on topic
- If you have a question, please try searching for previous discussions, maybe it has already been answered
- Reposts are fine, but should have at least a couple of weeks in between so that the post can reach a new audience
- Be nice :)
Related communities
much thanks to @gary_host_laptop for the logo design :)
founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
Wikipedia doesn't have to do shit.
Let them break their internet until they fix it.
Better get a Kiwix server spun up.
Wikipedia will never block the UK because they value accessible information, however obstructed it may be, more.
You mean Wikipedia will bow down to a Western government and obey their every command?
Do you think Wikipedia would make special exceptions for China or Russia?
Retaining truthful information with obstructed access is not the same as offering redacted or altered information to a specific region.
The UK is demanding that Wikipedia redacts information for users which refuse to identify themselves, and users under 18. It's far worse than simply not showing certain articles.
Welp, time to invade the UK. They were overdue.
Let the French invade them.
they had it coming. they invaded countless other civilisations.
Here's one way to fix this that might even overturn the law. Turn off Wikipedia in the UK. Put a big banner up on the homepage that says, we have turned off Wikipedia in your country because of your government. Here's how to use a VPN to access our content.
Edit: Make it apologetic and conciliatory. Like, we're sorry, we've had to disable Wikipedia in your region because of your government's draconian policies. If you would like to visit our content, please use a VPN. If you need help learning to use a VPN and then link to a here's how page
They can't recommend using a VPN, but they can say "some users are illegally subverting the ban using a VPN. For more information on this subject see: [link to VPN guide]."
I read from another comment somewhere that the law or whatever said that they should not promote a VPN, not that they could not promote a VPN. Those are two totally different words.
However, your way is probably safer and not reliant on language.
If they don't operate in the UK, why can't they recommend a VPN?
They can outside of the UK, but for stuff accessible in the UK, they can't. To be specific, I think it's that they can't recommend one to get around this law. They can in general, but not to avoid the law.
It's illegal to recommend using a VPN or teach people how to use a VPN in order to get around these age-check laws.
"It is illegal for us to recommend using services like a VPN to bypass these limits. We do recommend you ask your government why they don't want you to know about these services or have access to free educational content".
“We do not condone using a VPN to circumvent these restrictions. To make sure you will not accidentally use a VPN we’ve decided to make our article about VPN‘s the only one available in this country.“
The wording on ofcom is "should not" not" must not". It's not illegal, they just don't want people to do it and want people to think that it is illegal.
👆They just need to add this as a disclaimer instead.
load more comments
(1 replies)
load more comments
(1 replies)
Will libraries be requiring age verification to access encyclopaedias and other non-fiction material? Because of the children, of course!
load more comments
(10 replies)
You got a loicense for that desiring knowledge, bruv?
1000% Wikipedia needs to blackout in the UK and tell users to call their MPs
Big tech lobbying is behind all this
On the one hand, this is obviously a terrible authoritarian law and it should be repealed, but on the other hand, I’m not sure I like companies having the power or the influence to affect laws. TikTok telling its users to protest its ban in the US back in January comes to mind.
Wikipedia is basically a charity that gives people free knowledge. No one profits off of it. What you describe is called civil society, where interest groups attempt to convince the government to take certain actions, and (only without profit motive, in my opinion) it's one of a few indicators of democracy.
Yes and no. Sometimes a company or organization can serve as a force for good. That said, absolutely a double edged sword. It's not fair to expect private businesses and organizations to be held hostage by scummy legislators. At the end of the day, no one is entitled to a business's or organization's services, so... Don't want to chase businesses and organizations away? Don't pass shitty legislation.
Wtf are you being downvoted, you're absolutely right.
The fact that people are so powerless that only corps can fight this shit is maddening.
I've said it before, the UK populace has lost all privileges to make fun of Americans, they are as batshit as the trumpets here.
I would replace "companies" with "non-profits". Cause it's pretty clear that companies do hold that kind of power. Let me broadly gesture to the companies paying off these hack politicians to pass these laws i.e.; apple, alphabet, meta, and so on.
lol they’ve already had that power for decades. This is where you’re going to get stubborn about it? Suspicious.
If “stubborn” is what you read from my comment, I’m not sure what to tell you.
The only rational decision, given the cost associated with a poorly defined and maliciously enforced legislative code. I wouldn't trust the UK courts to fairly adjudicate an alleged breach of the law, particularly if Reform Party gets into office and decides to punish Wikipedia's management for "Wokeness" or whatever.
Currently I cannot edit using my VPN as that is blocked by Wikipedia, so I guess if that remains the case and they are forced to implement ID to edit articles, then I will no longer be able to contribute
Every time you would have made an edit, send a note to a representative in government
I wonder if now is a good time to download all Wikipedia and put it on a spare offline drive...
load more comments
(3 replies)
Wikipedia need to cut off access to the UK except through VPNs.
view more: next ›