this post was submitted on 03 Apr 2026
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Privacy

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Do you consider this dystopian AF? (www)
submitted 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by LtDan@lemmy.zip to c/privacy@lemmy.ml
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The UK government is like: "submit ID first before you use iPhone", like WTF? As apparently, they are considering on making that the default way to unlock a cellphone whilst spying on you (like they already are) keeping tabs on what apps you're currently using, have downloaded or purchases made online.

Their Online Safety Act is stupid ever since it was enforced last year as that has done nothing except for making people bypass it entirely (like there's cases of game characters used to circumvent age verification & facial scans) so I'll assume the same will happen with this (fake ID's) just to unlock iPhones.

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[–] freedickpics@lemmy.ml 3 points 19 hours ago

Their Online Safety Act is stupid ever since it was enforced last year as that has done nothing except for making people bypass it entirely

It's had worse outcomes than that. People who do decide to follow the law are having their IDs stolen and leaked and the UK gov (and others worldwide) don't care. They designed and forced on us a law a 'Safety' Act that does nothing but actively compromise people's safety. I realise I'm preaching to the crowd here but if this shit doesn't destroy what's left of people's faith in government then I don't know what will

[–] Tenderizer78@lemmy.ml 4 points 23 hours ago

I find iPhones themselves dystopian.

[–] Doomsider@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

They are just doing the bidding of advertisers. This is all about verifying there is an actual human so advertisers will continue paying companies like Google.

Meanwhile people are debating about child safety. Propaganda successful!

[–] jokeyrhyme@lemmy.ml 1 points 4 hours ago

yep, the major lobbying force in favour of these laws is Meta/Facebook

https://lwn.net/Articles/1062779/

[–] Teppa@lemmy.world 14 points 2 days ago

Motorola is making a lineup on Graphene OS phones. While Pixel phones already support graphene OS via sideloading.

[–] SharkAttak@kbin.melroy.org 11 points 2 days ago (1 children)

There was a comic, and a movie, talking about a controlling and repressive government... and that took place in UK. Very strange coincidence, Very strange indeed.

[–] msage@programming.dev 4 points 2 days ago

I think I remember remember somerthing like that.

[–] null@lemmy.org 14 points 2 days ago (2 children)

We're in the first act of a shitty, new internet that's fully captured and tracked.

[–] davi@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

in some ways, it carries on in the spirit of what the internet used to be like in 1995, but by accident/need rather than intention.

back then, the internet was an even mixture of profit seeking companies trying to get your attention and sites that required minimal technical proficiency contained interests/works that the mainstream media pretended didn't exist. over time, things like reddit appeared where it combined the two to get the mainstream hoards so overwhelming in number that the internet has become almost indiscernible to mainstream media.

now, as the mainstream internet enshittifies to protect the mainstream narrative; the people who seek reality over narratives now have to up their technical acumen to continue their access.

the internet is going back to their wild west days because the oligarchy is trying to exert control over it with liberal & conservative consent.

[–] null@lemmy.org 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

A comforting thought.

[–] davi@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

it's more than a thought; it's familiarity in ways you've likely forgotten about if you were using the internet as an adult back in 1995 and is now the only way to escape the oligarchy manufactured narratives and capture like op describes.

back then, you can only find things using either word-of-mouth or independent search engines. the instances of the fediverse that have been isolated by the mainstream narrative loving masses (ie hexbear, lemmygrad, etc.) now serve the same word-of-mouth function and things like searxng are fulfilling the independent search engines that altavista, excite, lycos, etc. used to do.

[–] FauxLiving@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Bring back forum communities, imo

[–] cyberwolfie@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I just joined an old-school phpBB forum dedicated to a specific topic, and it is glorious.

[–] FauxLiving@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I'm a fan of a very large, and Awful, forum community. It's older than MySpace and the community is... unique.

[–] tigeruppercut@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Spending all your time on there instead of working must put you in a lowtax bracket

[–] FauxLiving@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I can afford to have stairs in my house at least

[–] fathix@lemmy.zip 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Are you protected?

[–] FauxLiving@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Not with this many goons around.

[–] davi@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 days ago

is that not what lemmy is? lol

[–] AdolfSchmitler@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

It's like the end of the wild west. Goodbye cowboy

[–] manuremy@sopuli.xyz 18 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Yup, it sounds dystopian. I am preparing for this to hit my country too eventually and I'll unplug then. No more internet, go to the library to get WIFI for online banking on the phone that is used only for that. It's a decision to comply. DVDs, books, games I already own and have downloaded..

[–] FireRetardant@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

For some of us it may be a difficult decision to not comply. Many of us need technology to continue our careers and make enough money to exist at our current standards. I need a phone with an active service connection and often need maps and to download user manuals on the fly for my job, and thats about as little reliance on phones and internet as jobs get these days.

[–] manuremy@sopuli.xyz 9 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I think it will be difficult for everyone, me included. But it's a decision still. Majority will comply without batting an eye. Only a few can truly unplug AND keep it unplugged, not just try it. I'm not sure I can manage it either. For example, some cities in my country have 100% mobile app based public transport, meaning that there is no way of buying or showing a ticket unless it's the app. Not even website, the real app. (And if the app don't work for some reason, boohoo, pay a fine for 80-100€.) The world is build on these phones and apps.

Even more weirdly, since I somewhat practice unplugging already, many people have straight on nasty reactions when I say that sorry, can't scan that QR code or that I can't check their Insta-whatever post on social media. So it's not just the infrastructure but social norms too..

[–] FineCoatMummy@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 day ago

100% mobile app based public transport, meaning that there is no way of buying or showing a ticket unless it’s the app

Wow. That's awful. How does it work for poor people who can't afford a phone to run the app?

Where I live the city buses still accept cash. But I don't know for how much longer.

I try to get everyone of my friends to pay for everythng with cash. Food, buses, restaurants. Just to support the privacy option, so we don't lose it. But they think payment apps are more convenient so they don't listen, lol.

[–] FireRetardant@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I defintely get the social reliance and funny looks when you don't want to use technology. I get the same looks for refusing to use dating apps. I have nothing against people who use them but the cycle isn't something I'm interested in. I get discouraged chatting for a bit then getting ghosted. I get discouraged seeing dates get match notifications while i am on a date with them. And really fhe biggest thing for me, i vastly prefer meeting and getting to know people in person. Their accent, their body language, their sarcasm and humor, its best to experience that in person.

Plus the app doesn't keep make money by finding you a good partner and in our capitalist hellscape I'd bet most of them factor that into tbeir algorithm. You match with good enough matches and frequently enough you think the app works but maybe the app guesses the match is just off enough that you'll both be back in a few weeks more desperate than before and ready to buy superswipes or whatever.

[–] manuremy@sopuli.xyz 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I absolutely agree with you on that! I used them, years ago.. It's just a game. People are no longer real human beings with feelings and all, it's just points in the app. "Ghost that one, there will always be someone better."

[–] FireRetardant@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

The "what if i missed someone better" was a legitmate reason someone gave me for why they kept the using the app while starting to see me. Yea what a great way to launch a relationship.

[–] manuremy@sopuli.xyz 3 points 2 days ago

Wow, ouch, ew. Sorry to hear that, but probably good riddance.

[–] B0NK3RS@lazysoci.al 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The UK government is like: "submit ID first before you use iPhone", like WTF? As apparently, they are considering on making that the default way to unlock a cellphone whilst spying on you (like they already are) keeping tabs on what apps you're currently using, have downloaded or purchases made online.

Source?

Honestly I'm torn on the whole issue but also at the same time I haven't once submitted verification ID so nothing has changed for me. Hopefully it stays that way...

and people using Sam from Death Stranding for face ID is just hilarious :D

[–] LtDan@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I think this is the closest thing as it's more on making users having to submit ID on using "certain apps" after an iOS update, basically that.

[–] PierceTheBubble@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

has done nothing except for making people bypass it entirely

Which seems to be by design, based on similarity, to approaches taken by other governments: shifting the blame to citizens (reasonably) circumventing the legislation (creating the typical infighting), and granting further excuses to further tighten government control. Legislation as such, can only be introduced under a false pretense, or few politicians dare to be in support of such works. If introduced to "protect the children", you can gradually shape it to effectively fulfill your interest; instead of spoiling true intentions right away.

[–] FineCoatMummy@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Agree. Also it creates a false dichotomy in peoples minds. If you fight the orwellian creep into every kind of tech, you must not care about the children! What kind of sociopath is against protecting children!!

Really, I do believe there are many parts of the world children should be protected from. But NOT by giving away our freedom. NOT by turning the world into one huge mass survielance device. NOT by going full 1984. I can be in favor of protecting children even if I object to dragnet surveilance.

[–] PierceTheBubble@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Yes, totally. In my opinion parents bare full responsibility over their under-age child (not the state, nor platforms: unless catered specifically towards children), and should be legally held accountable when neglecting their child, whether that be physically or digitally.

It's insane to me, there's parents allowing their child unrestricted access to the internet: not restricting them from getting into contact with complete strangers; like this couldn't escalate to physical contact. There's countless children's platforms, which generally shouldn't allow interaction between users; and where it is necessary, perhaps require parents to give explicit permission.

It honestly makes more sense to me, to have adults prove they're under-age: to be able to access a children's platform; than children (and as a result: everyone, including adults) having to prove they're of-age: to be able to access an adult platform. But it seems this concept is completely foreign to politicians.

[–] frightful_hobgoblin@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The UK government... a cellphone

[–] WolfmanEightySix@piefed.social 1 points 2 days ago

I don’t think that they’re British.

[–] Adl@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 days ago

i consider (boringly) dystopian the fact that people are still using iphones