Hi all I’m sure many of you are aware that the Online Safety Act (OSA) in the UK, supposedly to enhance child safeguarding on the internet, is delivering precisely what those of us who warned against it years ago said it would: censorship.
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Everyone is free to comment. Please be civil and courteous to each other. Have a laugh, use irony, whit, sarcasm, whatever you like. Argue your point, show your evidence. But please do not be personal, abusive, or accusatory just because someone disagrees with or questions you.
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I agree. I have a habit of photographing some notes with an apple device. If that photo ends up on evilcorp's server (good luck reading my scrawl) can this be digitally read?
Am I being digitally naive in suggesting the old newsletter and link directly to your website? I read James Corbett's articles and watch his videos from his website - I must admit though to being digitally practically illiterate.
It's okay for those with huge followings: they can continue to make a living from their own websites. The more peer to peer possibilities Substack tempted many of us in with will be over once the censorship properly kicks in.
I agree Helen. For those of us who do not have huge followings it is going to be a struggle but where there's a will there's a way. If it helps I am a complete technophobe and I managed to build my own site and host it without using any expensive web designers. My advice is that you register your domain name separately otherwise your hosting provider will control the one they give you which, probably, will eventually leave you in the same position we now find ourselves in on substack.
I've been suspicious of the substack platform almost since its inception due to its use of high-grade psychologically manipulative messaging and curation of subscribers as well as it convoluted misdirection to subscribe to this that and everything with no clear unsubscribe option. The whole platform seems more like an 'operation' than a service. More data harvesting. More control.
After raising questions about this platform I've noticed things no longer work for me as they should. I can no longer view any replies to my comments. I was bared from reading an article due to 'age restriction' (I'm in my 60's) with no option to remedy. I sense it's only a matter of time that I'm permanently banned from this platform - simply for asking awkward questions.
This comment itself might be my substack death knell. Life online in the 3rd decade of the 21st century is really like walking through a minefield.
An app to stay very clear of is Obsidian. These guys just can't help their running gags, obsidian being a black rock etc.
If you've got a burner laptop give it a try and watch what it's doing. Excellent way to see how the tricks work. A burner laptop btw is for the filth to scurry off with. give it some thought because if you try to be sneaky the feds wil search much harder, spill things, kick the cat, find a stash, etc, merely because they can.
VPN? (Presumably you already thought of that option).
I can't have failed to notice you're not the only one of course. Although I live in France (where la regime fasciste du Macron has banned Rumble using the 'spreading Russian misinformation' excuse) and we're (yet!!!) subject to an OSA, it will affect me and others indirectly because my British subscribers won't be able to access most of my stuff without using VPNs and all that.
I do hope you'll stay though - remember you can direct people towards your other (independent) site (Miri seems to be doing that already).
VPNs by and large make things even easier for our friends in RAF Menwith. Shop very carefully or just accept that the internet is irreparably rigged against us. So find an alternative. But not honeypot VPNs.
James Perloff just spoke about how they are now insisting on this for books sold through Amazon. Talk about making it more and more clear to the public what the heck they are up to. I guess the nudge concept is over.
Yep. I want to get my books off there too. Looking at alternatives like BookVault. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Bookvault seems promising.
I use Bookvault and have recently signed up to books.by - I’m waiting on the first print proof - they print in UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand & Europe. You get 💯 of revenue after printing & shipping and the customer data… 🤞printing is up to scratch!
Quality isn't good enough for black and white. It's good on full colour as you get the option to have a higher grade of paper. Oh and you don't get the customer data unless you click on each customer! I'm going to stick with BookVault connected to Payhip so I can at least email customers when new books are published!
Personally, I would be a bit suspicious of so-called independent media journalists and outlets that are happy to "verify" themselves. Others like TheLightPaper (see comment above) are showing the way.
These past few years have been a brilliant anomaly that could not last.
Think about it.
I've been able to sit in my tiny apartment, at the edge of the world, with virtually no money, and I've been able to access some of humanity's greatest minds, in real time, free of charge. When in history, has this ever happened?
The free sharing of wisdom and knowledge on such a massive scale is the balance to the desires of the overlords.
At some point, we all knew we would, again, be on "our own". We have had the opportunity to learn, and soon, we must do.
Fear not, good humans. Adaptation is one of our superpowers. Go with the flow, and enjoy the journey. We are here at an amazing time.
Big hugs, and thank you to everyone who freely shared their time and knowledge.
I stopped deluding myself some time ago that any of these platforms stand for truth and critical journalism. Who said the best way to control the opposition is to lead it yourself? Pretty sure that's what's going on here.
I strongly suggest you look into https://pareto.space/en and start publishing your stuff on there. It's truly uncensorable and can't be controlled by a single entity.
And thank you for your work. I learned so much about all kinds of things I was totally in the dark about before.
I think I saw this coming about a year ago when I actually had a very brief conversation on Substack with journalist (now multimillionaire??) Hamish McKenzie. In short, he literally threatened to "ban me for 100 years" from his own Substack channel. I'm proud to say that I know how to get under any suspect individual's skin and this occasion was no different. I've collected badges of honour galore over the decades.
So Substack claimed so I am a bit at a loss to understand why I have to verify myself to access comments. To be clear I can still login and write posts and comment on posts but In can't access the chat function without verifying. I have no doubt that soon I won't be able to login either.
The inconsistencies are because they are rushing the implementation now, as they realise time is short. So bits are being added in modular style and fitting. That's IT projects. Hopefully some malicious compliance by coders too, or Easter eggs in the commented out bits.
That's what I've read. If you've given your financial info, they already have everything. No read to give it to them yourself, however. I just bought some books from a substack author with a cashier's check by snail mail. I'm sure that gives them my info as well. this is why Iain's book is so important.
That is my impression too. I have not been asked for age verification so far. Maybe there are discrepancies between names used online and names on bank accounts?
Dunno Frances, see comment above. That is how I understood Substack's position. Obviously, they have my payment details yet I now need to verify myself to access the chat function. I suspect we will all need to verify ourselves just to use it soon.
It's definitely the payment method they're using, yes. It seems a reasonable assumption that if someone passes verification checks for a stream of funds, however limited those funds might be, then they get to be "assumed an adult". To be screened again is an attempt to get something else, a photo most obviously.
Once tagged at the server end, we oldies get to bypass that or have done so far.
It is as you say Iain the newer parts of the platform where the focus lies. Notes. chat. Signals intelligence for not all that competent, but very keen, junior functionaries. The real source of Gotcha! gold for the blackmailers, corvid wardens, student interns, and all other more estanlished parts of the panopticon are those hot takes and one liners so easily screenshotted and then decontextualised to shame or threaten people into silence.
Trolls and bots are not welcome!
********************************
This a Substack comment thread freely open to all. It is intended to provide a space for productive dialogue.
Everyone is free to comment. Please be civil and courteous to each other. Have a laugh, use irony, whit, sarcasm, whatever you like. Argue your point, show your evidence. But please do not be personal, abusive, or accusatory just because someone disagrees with or questions you.
Personal abuse will result in one warning. If abuse persists, after the warning, the abusive account will be blocked and permanently barred from commenting on my Substack posts.
Please, only reply to this message if you wish to alert me to abusive behaviour.
Thank you.
Us too - refuse to verify on facebook, on here, or anywhere else.
I will be putting our email at the end of every post from now on so if people want to get in touch..
Not long before we're all banned from society completely, eh?
thelightpaper@protonmail.com
I think physical media will be the only way to go in the short term. You were very wise to start there.
I agree. I have a habit of photographing some notes with an apple device. If that photo ends up on evilcorp's server (good luck reading my scrawl) can this be digitally read?
I don't know the answer. Anyone?
Ditto, Iain! Shame it’s going this way as I really like the Substack platform… never mind 🙄
Am I being digitally naive in suggesting the old newsletter and link directly to your website? I read James Corbett's articles and watch his videos from his website - I must admit though to being digitally practically illiterate.
Not at all. That is why I have my own site https://iaindavis.com
But I found that Substack gave me a better income that my own site. More traffic I guess and better subscriber numbers. Shame really.
I will be refocusing my efforts on my own site from now.
I do the same. I log on to James Corbett , corbettreport.com directly. No algorithm will bring up his site. And this is why I also buy books.
It's okay for those with huge followings: they can continue to make a living from their own websites. The more peer to peer possibilities Substack tempted many of us in with will be over once the censorship properly kicks in.
I agree Helen. For those of us who do not have huge followings it is going to be a struggle but where there's a will there's a way. If it helps I am a complete technophobe and I managed to build my own site and host it without using any expensive web designers. My advice is that you register your domain name separately otherwise your hosting provider will control the one they give you which, probably, will eventually leave you in the same position we now find ourselves in on substack.
I've been suspicious of the substack platform almost since its inception due to its use of high-grade psychologically manipulative messaging and curation of subscribers as well as it convoluted misdirection to subscribe to this that and everything with no clear unsubscribe option. The whole platform seems more like an 'operation' than a service. More data harvesting. More control.
After raising questions about this platform I've noticed things no longer work for me as they should. I can no longer view any replies to my comments. I was bared from reading an article due to 'age restriction' (I'm in my 60's) with no option to remedy. I sense it's only a matter of time that I'm permanently banned from this platform - simply for asking awkward questions.
This comment itself might be my substack death knell. Life online in the 3rd decade of the 21st century is really like walking through a minefield.
I agree.
An app to stay very clear of is Obsidian. These guys just can't help their running gags, obsidian being a black rock etc.
If you've got a burner laptop give it a try and watch what it's doing. Excellent way to see how the tricks work. A burner laptop btw is for the filth to scurry off with. give it some thought because if you try to be sneaky the feds wil search much harder, spill things, kick the cat, find a stash, etc, merely because they can.
VPN? (Presumably you already thought of that option).
I can't have failed to notice you're not the only one of course. Although I live in France (where la regime fasciste du Macron has banned Rumble using the 'spreading Russian misinformation' excuse) and we're (yet!!!) subject to an OSA, it will affect me and others indirectly because my British subscribers won't be able to access most of my stuff without using VPNs and all that.
I do hope you'll stay though - remember you can direct people towards your other (independent) site (Miri seems to be doing that already).
Sure, there are work-arounds. VPN with hard proxy, etc. But they are already talking about VPN "age verification" (digital ID) for UK citizens.
VPN with age verification? What a bunch of fuckers.
I thought almost all VPNs have a back-door to the Israeli intelligence monster.
Wouldn’t surprise me
VPNs by and large make things even easier for our friends in RAF Menwith. Shop very carefully or just accept that the internet is irreparably rigged against us. So find an alternative. But not honeypot VPNs.
These guys have been practising for years.
It seems the Rumble ban from France has been lifted recently.
Not sure about that. I keep coming across the ‘not available in your country’ thing. Still, I might be wrong.
I had only noticed the possible access to imbedded videos but after trying now I could just access to the website main page.
Ah - yeah seems you're quite correct - the ban has been lifted after a court ruling in mid-October: https://corp.rumble.com/blog/rumble-is-fully-accessible-in-france-after-court-ruling/
Hooray for that French judge then, ruling against the government's censorship! Vive la Resistance!!!
Carpe Diem... should not last long.
Absolutely!
James Perloff just spoke about how they are now insisting on this for books sold through Amazon. Talk about making it more and more clear to the public what the heck they are up to. I guess the nudge concept is over.
Yep. I want to get my books off there too. Looking at alternatives like BookVault. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Bookvault seems promising.
I use Bookvault and have recently signed up to books.by - I’m waiting on the first print proof - they print in UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand & Europe. You get 💯 of revenue after printing & shipping and the customer data… 🤞printing is up to scratch!
https://books.by/rachel
Thanks Rachel.
Quality isn't good enough for black and white. It's good on full colour as you get the option to have a higher grade of paper. Oh and you don't get the customer data unless you click on each customer! I'm going to stick with BookVault connected to Payhip so I can at least email customers when new books are published!
Again thanks.
Mine too Iain. The noose is tightening, but we knew it would.
I totally agree Iain, I enjoy many writers content on substack including your own. Dark days.
Your non-compliance with the morbid state of censorship is greatly appreciated. That you stick to your guns makes you quite unique.
Personally, I would be a bit suspicious of so-called independent media journalists and outlets that are happy to "verify" themselves. Others like TheLightPaper (see comment above) are showing the way.
Back and forth, the battle rages on.
These past few years have been a brilliant anomaly that could not last.
Think about it.
I've been able to sit in my tiny apartment, at the edge of the world, with virtually no money, and I've been able to access some of humanity's greatest minds, in real time, free of charge. When in history, has this ever happened?
The free sharing of wisdom and knowledge on such a massive scale is the balance to the desires of the overlords.
At some point, we all knew we would, again, be on "our own". We have had the opportunity to learn, and soon, we must do.
Fear not, good humans. Adaptation is one of our superpowers. Go with the flow, and enjoy the journey. We are here at an amazing time.
Big hugs, and thank you to everyone who freely shared their time and knowledge.
I stopped deluding myself some time ago that any of these platforms stand for truth and critical journalism. Who said the best way to control the opposition is to lead it yourself? Pretty sure that's what's going on here.
I strongly suggest you look into https://pareto.space/en and start publishing your stuff on there. It's truly uncensorable and can't be controlled by a single entity.
And thank you for your work. I learned so much about all kinds of things I was totally in the dark about before.
I think I saw this coming about a year ago when I actually had a very brief conversation on Substack with journalist (now multimillionaire??) Hamish McKenzie. In short, he literally threatened to "ban me for 100 years" from his own Substack channel. I'm proud to say that I know how to get under any suspect individual's skin and this occasion was no different. I've collected badges of honour galore over the decades.
Right behind you, Iain. I will NOT sit there like a dumb animal, and create a video of myself to satisfy Big Brother's twisted needs and desires.
Aren't you already verified through your payment information?
So Substack claimed so I am a bit at a loss to understand why I have to verify myself to access comments. To be clear I can still login and write posts and comment on posts but In can't access the chat function without verifying. I have no doubt that soon I won't be able to login either.
The inconsistencies are because they are rushing the implementation now, as they realise time is short. So bits are being added in modular style and fitting. That's IT projects. Hopefully some malicious compliance by coders too, or Easter eggs in the commented out bits.
That's what I've read. If you've given your financial info, they already have everything. No read to give it to them yourself, however. I just bought some books from a substack author with a cashier's check by snail mail. I'm sure that gives them my info as well. this is why Iain's book is so important.
That is my impression too. I have not been asked for age verification so far. Maybe there are discrepancies between names used online and names on bank accounts?
Dunno Frances, see comment above. That is how I understood Substack's position. Obviously, they have my payment details yet I now need to verify myself to access the chat function. I suspect we will all need to verify ourselves just to use it soon.
It's definitely the payment method they're using, yes. It seems a reasonable assumption that if someone passes verification checks for a stream of funds, however limited those funds might be, then they get to be "assumed an adult". To be screened again is an attempt to get something else, a photo most obviously.
Once tagged at the server end, we oldies get to bypass that or have done so far.
It is as you say Iain the newer parts of the platform where the focus lies. Notes. chat. Signals intelligence for not all that competent, but very keen, junior functionaries. The real source of Gotcha! gold for the blackmailers, corvid wardens, student interns, and all other more estanlished parts of the panopticon are those hot takes and one liners so easily screenshotted and then decontextualised to shame or threaten people into silence.
You would certainly hope so Frances
What’s a shame it’s seems like we’re not allowed to see or do anything without approval from the nanny state