onlinesafety

This week's net.wars, "Disharmony", finds Meta allegedly engaging in piracy and changing its content moderation policies, and network neutrality dying (for now?) in the US: https://netwars.pelicancrossing.net/2025/01/10/disharmony/ #copyright #eu #OnlineSafety #NetWars

Will the last small site turn off the lights?

The UK Online Safety Act imposes the same duties and penalties on blogs, forums and fedi instances as huge platforms.

Many small, safely moderated sites will shut down or block UK users.

Crushing competition is the last thing we need for a safer Internet!

Act now before 17 March ⬇️

#SaveOurSites 🌐

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/save-our-sites-write-your-mp

#fediverse #onlinesafety #onlinesafetyact #mastodon #activitypub #ukpolitics #ukpol #netplurality

Bluesky will be age-gating content for UK users. It’s your privacy that pays.

The UK Online Safety Act has unleashed an unregulated market in age verification.

That we have to do these intrusive checks with countless providers for different platforms is dangerous.

https://www.theverge.com/news/704468/bluesky-age-verification-uk-online-safety-act

#onlinesafetyact #ageverification #ageassurance #privacy #dataprotection #data #biometrics #onlinesafety #ukpolitics #ukpol #bluesky

🚨 Scam Alert: "Verify your Fedi account" Phishing Attempt 🚧

Attention everyone on Mastodon! There's a scam making the rounds where malicious actors impersonate moderators or admins. They send private messages or make posts that mimic notifications, claiming that your account needs verification. These messages often include a link for you to "complete the verification process."

⚠️ This is a Scam!

Your server admin will never ask you to click a link to verify your account.
No other admin from any other server will either, even if they appear to be part of the main Mastodon team.
If your account is suspended, you won't receive a message about it. Instead, you'll see a notification upon logging in that your account is temporarily suspended.

How to Identify the Scam:

Fake admin accounts often use names containing "moderator" or "admin," but this doesn't mean they are legitimate.
Legitimate admins or instance owners usually have a badge or marking on their profile indicating their role.

What to Do:

If you receive a message or post urging you to click a link to verify your account, report it immediately.
If you have any doubts about your account status, contact your server admin or moderation team directly.
To verify the authenticity of an admin or instance owner, visit the "About" page of your instance. This page typically lists contact information for the real team administering your instance.
Always be cautious when interacting with accounts claiming to be from Mastodon or your instance's admin team.

Important Reminder:

Mastodon does not perform age verification. If you receive a message or post claiming to be from Mastodon or your instance's admin team, always verify its authenticity before taking any action.

Reporting the Scam:

If you encounter this scam, report it to your instance's admin team and use relevant tags, such as #FediBlock, to help raise awareness.

Personal Note:

I'm not a cybersecurity expert, but I find this new scam in the Fediverse quite interesting. If you feel like sharing your experiences with me, I would appreciate it! I'm looking to collect cases and get a broader view of this phishing attack. Maybe I'll even try to write a report about it. Feel free to tag me in any relevant posts.

Let's stay vigilant and help each other stay safe online!

#Mastodon #Fediverse #ScamAlert #Phishing #CyberSecurity #OnlineSafety #FediBlock #StaySafe #TechCommunity #SocialMedia #ScamAwareness #SecurityTips #ReportScams #VerifyBeforeYouTrust

ALT