The Forums will be closing shortly

This topic has 15 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 1 year, 4 months ago by gammakeith.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 16 total)

1 2 →

Author

Posts
14th February 2025 at 11:23 am #36644

Jason Slater
Participant

Due to the Online Safety Act 2023 being implemented on March 17 2025 and the uncertainty around small forums such as these ones I am closing all of the Scott Owners Club forums to new content shortly before this date.

I would encourage forum users to switch to the Facebook group where Meta have to apply the legislation, not us.

Jason

14th February 2025 at 12:49 pm #36646

Deleted User
Participant

Hi Jason, as I do not use “data miners” ad Facebook / Meta and alike, does this mean I can not use the forum anymore although beeing a full member of the club? Really hope this is not the case… Regards from Germany, Olaf

14th February 2025 at 4:04 pm #36647

Jason Slater
Participant

Yes, that’s correct.

I have written a short article for the next Yowl. As I point out there, you can create a Facebook account using entirely false information.

14th February 2025 at 5:00 pm #36648

gammakeith
Participant

I have two major issues with this. Firstly, the Forum is the only way (aside from six times a year via Yowl) that SOC members have the option to contact other members exclusively. Secondly, Facebook/Meta can – and do – suspend access to groups due to some sort of unknown transgression by a member, and it can take months to get an affected group reinstated (if at all). It’s happened to a number of ParkRun groups.

Chris

14th February 2025 at 5:51 pm #36651

ScottyH
Participant

Jason, Pesonally, I wouldn’t support the closing of the SOC forum,

Its a fantastic forum and source of information which is not controlled by anybody othere than yourself and the club.

Whilst i dont have any issues with the Facebook page, i do =know lots of people will NOT engage with Facebook for personal reasons.

The Club should maintain the forum for the benefit of its members, ceasing it as a live Forum would be a big mistake for the Club. I’m sure that there must be ways to manage the Online Safety Act 2023 without it being too onerous on you or the club.

Surely this is something that the committee should be engaged with before any rash decisions are made and discussed at the forthcoming AGM.

14th February 2025 at 6:06 pm #36652

Jason Slater
Participant

Having followed the governments risk assessment for online forums and the like, I can just state that there is zero percent chance I will be keeping the forums open past the 16th March. I would be open to what is effectively unlimited personal liability.

However if someone else wants to take over the website then I would happily step aside, either today or at the AGM.

15th February 2025 at 2:53 am #36654

Simon Vallance
Participant

It will be a sad day if the forum closes down, there is a lot of useful information here.

15th February 2025 at 8:07 am #36655

Martin Heckscher
Participant

Just for the record, I agree with Olaf, Christine, Graham, and Simon.

15th February 2025 at 9:10 am #36656

Martin27
Participant

I tried to read something about Online Safety Act 2023 and to be honest, I don’t understand how this could influance vintage motorcycle forum. But I know nothing about such a stuffs. That would be really shame if forum would have to be closed, I don’t have facebook and even if I would try to get there, it wouldn’t work on my old computer (not even on my 20 years old nokia phone). So fot me would be last chance Yowl (or trying to contact member on email). So hope this will not happen.

Martin

15th February 2025 at 11:55 am #36659

douglas.black@me.com
Participant

Jason, is there a way forward for without Facebook? I think it is ironic that a piece of legislation, whose purpose is to protect children and adults, results in closing down a forum and replacing it with a service where online abuse is out of control?

15th February 2025 at 12:54 pm #36660

Jason Slater
Participant

No, there is no easy way forward.

The supplied forum software does not have a “report” button or feature. Nor do we have a team of people standing by to deal with any reports.

The only way we could be compliant with the new rules, would be to moderate every post before it was displayed on the forum, and I have not found anyone willing to take that role on. I will be away a lot this year, so I’m not willing to do it.

I should point out, that the existing posts will remain visible and searchable, as now, but no new posts added.

Unless someone else wants to take it on, of course.

15th February 2025 at 1:50 pm #36661

Simon Vallance
Participant

Jason, I am preparied to vet posts if needed, but being In Hong Kong I am 8 hours ahead so it may take time if somebody posted , UKLday time for me to deal with it.

15th February 2025 at 3:52 pm #36662
Jason Slater
Participant
Simon. There is a committee zoom call on the 18th. I can’t attend. I will ask them to invite you on to discuss this.

I’ve been looking on line how to enable this function, and it may well not work. We would have to test it before committing to anything. We have the most basic forum software there is. It is probably extendable with plug-ins, but they are not free and I have no budget.

Jason (webmaster but not forums) 🙂
- This reply was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by Jason Slater.
15th February 2025 at 6:43 pm #36664

douglas.black@me.com
Participant

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Jason, looks like you have done all the thinking around this and have come to the correct conclusion. I think vetting of posts would be instigated by a complaint about a post. Systems of checks are meant to be automated rather than manual. It’s all the work around procedures, reporting and documentation of processes plus risk assessment that is the killer and then ongoing overhead of maintaining compliance. The legislation seems to be broad. In the end it is there to protect mainly children, we should accept that as good, it is the sledge hammer approach that is disheartening. This has been coming for a few years so maybe time to think of an alternative to the forum?</p>

17th February 2025 at 9:09 pm #36669

David J Waring
Participant

Another just for the record, I agree with Martin, Olaf, Christine, Graham, and Simon.

David J Waring
Author

Posts