HamFistedVegan

I think what this actually means is that some companies are now using technology to extract as much money as they possibly can from you and me.

I bet it will soon be the majority (if it isn't already).

Am I fine with age verification? Yes, I am. Especially for social media. I don't want children being brainwashed by right wing propaganda that is prevalent on there and I believe the state has a duty of care to protect citizens.

No channels of privacy? No, I am not fine with that. I haven't seen any evidence to suggest that private conversations are not possible though, either via chat encryption or any other method. Is there any for the UK?

Chat control? I'm not sure. That sounds vague. I would need to know the specifics and what it's protective purpose is.

You are welcome to call me blind. You still haven't presented any evidence that the government is keeping secret social scores on it's citizens though, nor any evidence of state wide internet restrictions on privacy. If there is such evidence and I believe it is a threat to an open and democratic society then I will act.

The USA is currently descending into authoritarianism, in my view precisely because "freedom of speech" and freedom of ownership are so closely protected. Malicious forces can spread whatever messages they want and influence whoever they want with impunity.

My view is that the current UK government is not a threat to the people. The elites looking to purchase power and influence and eventually become the government are the biggest threat. Social media is their most effective weapon.

I would argue that if you can't see that then you are blind yourself.

I'm happy to agree to disagree though. Civility and all that.

I sense a dangerous level of willful disbelief.

Disbelief of what? That the UK government is keeping secret social scores on it's citizens? Yeah. Until I see evidence of that.

They are starting to police the internet more though. I personally think that's due to the huge amounts of misinformation used to manipulate the public via social media. I.e. The Southport Riots which were inflamed by spreading of lies about immigrants.

This is probably an unpopular opinion here but I think there should be more control. Peoples view of reality is being completely distorted by the internet and what they see and read. It will only get worse with AI and deepfakes. I personally think it does need more policing. There is a good documentary called "Hypernormalisation' by Adam Curtis that explores the reality distortion we experience. It is worth watching.

My political views are that one of governments main duties is to protect citizens from harm. That includes protecting them from business malpractices from social media companies and foreign influencers looking to destabilise the population. I believe our government should take action to prevent harm from those.

I am not being wilfully ignorant of what they are doing. I support it. That may make me unpopular here but so be it. I stand by that belief. I will change it if I am presented with tangible evidence of things like social ratings for citizens or nefarious uses of peoples information. I haven't seen any this far though. Feel free to send some if you have any.

I

you don't believe they are locking down the internet

No, I believe they are policing the internet more than previously. The part I definitely don't believe is your idea that they are using this information to make secret social scores on citizens. That's a dystopian fantasy in my view.

Aside from introducing age verification checks do you have any evidence that it's being "locked down"? You're right in that my understanding is limited as I'm only aware of what our government has passed into law, not what people think is happening.

If you have some article or evidence that helps explain it I would be grateful.

Locking down the internet is a huge deal too, they are setting up every ip, every account, connected to a name and face and connected with all other information running it through half baked ai threat detection by companies like palantir to make secret social scores to determine everything.

Sorry, what? In the UK? I don't believe that for a second, unless you have some irrefutable evidence for that. I could write an essay about why that's not true.

surrender your information to the US as well make no mistake.

If that is happening it is by the design of the technology made by someone like Peter Thiel. The UK government would never knowingly allow such a thing to happen. There's no benefit and they risk being ejected from government if found out. It sounds ridiculous to be honest, sorry.

Very concerned here obviously as one would guess. We are fucked, I don't want to see Europe also fall to fascists that have every intention of fixing elections for the worst people in the world to remain in permanent control. We will be helping your fascists, secretly and openly,

Likewise! I am very concerned just how easily the US has fallen to the right wing spell. Steve Bannon has been shown in the Epstein files as linked to helping all sorts of right wing parties in Europe, including Reform. Luckily we at least have more stringent campaign funding rules that America's "spend what you want".

That is the price America pays for ultimate freedom of speech. It is lauded as the peak of democracy there, yet that very protection is used to guarantee unlimited financing of political campaigns by PACS and the elite. It's actually a weapon turned against the people. But yeah. Freeeedom.

The west is going to fall like dominoes barring some real leadership that is not forthcoming because we somehow still trust the controlled opposition of the oligarchs that have captured all of our parties

Not if citizens are wise to the manipulation tactics used i.e. social media. Many here are becoming aware. Rules are becoming more stringent. I have hope. Reform tend to do well in the less educated sectors of society. If we can educate them then they will see them for what they are. They thrive in poorer areas too. If the economy gets back to prospering then again, they will fade.

We need real leaders now

Mark Carney. His Davos speech was excellent. My hope os he starts taking the lead more with middle powers holding firm in the face of economic bullying from superpowers.

America and China cannot survive alone. They need the middle powers still, just less than the middle ones individually need them. As a collective though they have power.

My hope is the ties between EU countries grow stronger, hopefully we rejoin soon and we become a collective force.

That or Trump passes away amd MAGA fade into civil war. That would be nice.

I see. A lot of people do see it as concerning. We'll see if it actually goes ahead. Many people have made their opposition to it clear.

How do you feel about the current state of your own country and the values that seem to be at threat there, if I may ask?

Cancelled the right to a trial by jury for up to 3 years in prison, from 1 passed in 2020, cancelling the magna carta without a fight.

I thought these changes were still in the proposal stage? They are bad though and I disagree with them.

I don't disagree with anything else you've listed. I'm just struggling to see how any of that is worse than what 14 years of a Tory government provided? On top of a ruined economy, failing public services, huge NHS waiting times etc. they also introduced the 9k tuition fees.

Are you a UK citizen? If so are you a particularly young one?

Because I can tell you now that if you were of voting age living through those Tory governments and you were living in the country, as me, you would be far more bitter about the 14 years of turning our country to shit than a year and a half of an incompetent slightly authoritarian Labour government.

The majority of people would say the same. The Tories were voted out by a sweeping majority in 2024 because of this. UK citizens loathed the party and a good deal many still do, hence the rise of Reform.

I understand why you are angry at Starmer's government and your criticisms are fair, but I do not at all believe that your opinion that his government, over one and a half years, has been worse than the previous 14 years of Tory governance is founded on anything tangible whatsoever.

And indeed starmer already did more damage than the tories did in over a decade.

Sorry but what is that opinion based on?

As a Brit I can assure you that a) he has absolutely most certainly not done more than the previous Tory governments to mess the country up. Lizz Truss, for only a single example, ruined the economy in 40 odd days. b) the prevailing opinion is not that he has been worse than the Tories. The reason many people say they want to vote Reform is precisely because they are a right wing party that are not the Tories.

I'm very curious as to what you think his government has done that is worse than the 14 years of austerity, wrecked public finances, crumbling infrastructure and over population that the Tories provided? Obviously you are entitled to an opinion but I struggle to see what facts it could be based on.

It's almost as if the US is an oligarchy and that the ultra wealthy are able to govern the nation with political influence and shield themselves from the law.

This should be a wake up call to all citizens. It doesn't matter who you elect. Your interests will never be represented until this oligarchy is broken up or destroyed.

I have a hard time sympathising with anyone that voted for Trump. That's for sure. Anyone who was happy with America's foreign policies in the past 20 years would get the same treatment.

I think it's important to recognise that there are many people in America who resent what their country is going through and often resent the actions of their government.

Many Americans are isolationist. Many are progressive. There's a real mix of different beliefs.

I would honestly blame their system of government more than the average American. The system seems designed to exploit the average citizen as mich as possible whilst enriching those in power. In fact I would argue you could not create a better supposedly "democratic" system actually designed to exploit average workers if you tried.