If they’re not actively blocking ports 80 and 443, then its pretty clear they are allowing their users to host websites (unless their terms of service specifically say don’t host websites)

Thats why I suggested an up-to-date router that isn’t end-of-life. If you keep your router firmware updated, your firewall on, and your “server” updated, then you are as protected as any VPS that has ever been deployed.

Tailscale is centralized and prevents you from accessing your devices if it goes down, which is what the OP points out. If we want some decentralization, we can configure our current equipment to do so. Its not so difficult if you spend some time reading your router’s documentation and keep everything behind it updated. NAT firewalls are pretty good at keeping bad things out.

It will totally depend on the equipment you plan on using, but in general, your router’s manual/documentation should say whether it supports Dynamic DNS, how to configure your firewall, and how to enable port forwarding.

From there, your device’s operating system should have documentation on how to perform maintenance, and the web server software you plan on using should have guides on how to get it running on your OS of choice.

For example: If you want to host some websites on your device (or just want a nice web-based control panel for your “server”), do a fresh install of Debian 12 and then install something like Virtualmin or HestiaCP. Those two include various web apps that are easy to install and run with a few clicks, like a Wordpress or something.

Reminder to everyone, if you aren’t necessarily worried about uptime too much, and have a spare device at home, you can host personal websites and various services that might be useful for yourself or friends and family. To keep it simple, all you would really need is

• an up-to-date router that isn’t end-of-life
• a firewall that geo blocks traffic from outside your country and blocks all ports except 80 and 443
• port forwarding 80 and 443 to your device
• setup dynamic dns service (some routers can handle this)
• a domain name

Keep your device and router updated and reboot it every once in a while to load the updated kernel. Then just install some web server software or whatever on your device and point your domain to it.

Together, we can decentralize the web a little bit 🙂

Depends on the admin.

Arch servers are just fine. Just be sure to pay attention to Arch News to watch for manual interventions on certain updates. If anything, the older Debian packages can cause headaches occasionally. I personally use both distros as servers for different use cases.

That doesn’t sound anything like “…with liberty and justice for all.”

Your company’s policies, procedures, and activities which relate to the Services, in each case to the extent reasonably necessary for Coinbase to comply with any applicable laws, rules, and regulations (including money laundering statutes, regulations and conventions of the United States or other jurisdictions), or the guidance or direction of, or request from, any regulatory authority or financial institution.

I know, its hard to believe your eyes, but it does say they can be adversely affected by international legislation and regulations if they want to do business there.

They could always opt to use a US-based payment processor that doesn’t deal with international payments.

4chan agreed to the terms of service agreement here:

https://www.coinbase.com/legal/user_agreement/united_states

• Legislative and regulatory changes or actions at the state, federal, or international level may adversely affect the use, transfer, exchange, and value of virtual currency.

That means they agree their business can be affected by international regulations.

4chan has not disabled accepting payments from UK residents through their Coinbase portal. Therefore they are allowing UK residents to pay them.

4chan is not geo blocking UK visitors in their Cloudflare portal, so they are allowing UK residents to visit their site.

4chan wants all the benefits of UK business without obeying their laws.

They allow UK residents to use a credit or debit card to pay for passes.

I didn’t use AI at all.

Sweet. Thanks!

Their payment processor is operating in the UK though. 4chan isn’t refusing money from UK residents. It is accepting their payments.

Not with the internet. 4chan uses a payment processor that allows UK residents to pay with UK currency.

Edited it. Hows that?

Looks like it doesn’t get rendered correctly on my end

LOL okay but you said:

now, do you still think the UK government has a right to fine 4chan or do you think maybe the UK government should elaborate on their prohibition regulations to ensure their citizens are properly “protected”?

I went ahead and edited it for you so it says enterprising individuals… which you end up asking about 4chan anyways

Read what, exactly?

Used it correctly per Mozilla’s blockquote documentation, as I was quoting another source.

Okkkkkay so I’ll play your hypothetical game.

So in your scenario here, some enterprising individuals start off by smuggling alcohol into the UK. By definition according to Merriam-Webster, smuggling is: “to import or export secretly contrary to the law and especially without paying duties imposed by law”.

According to UK laws, this has the following consequences:

Penalties for Drug Smuggling
The legal consequences of drug smuggling in the United Kingdom are robust and intricate. These penalties are designed to deter and punish those involved in the illicit trade of controlled substances, and they vary significantly depending on the nature and scale of the offense.

Prison Sentences
Convictions for drug smuggling can result in substantial prison sentences. The duration of imprisonment varies based on factors such as the type and quantity of drugs involved, the defendant’s role in the operation, and any previous criminal history. For Class A drugs like heroin or cocaine, sentences can range from several years to life imprisonment. The courts take a particularly stern stance on those involved in large-scale drug trafficking operations, often imposing the harshest sentences.

Fines
In addition to imprisonment, courts may impose hefty fines on individuals convicted of drug smuggling. These financial penalties are meant to act as both a punishment and a deterrent. Fines can be substantial and are typically proportional to the severity of the offense and the defendant’s financial means.

Confiscation Orders
The UK’s legal system has mechanisms to prevent criminals from profiting from their drug smuggling activities. Courts can issue confiscation orders requiring the defendant to surrender any assets or wealth acquired through drug smuggling. This means that criminals face prison time and fines and risk losing ill-gotten gains.

Forfeiture of Assets
In cases where assets such as vehicles, boats, properties, or other possessions were used to commission drug smuggling offenses, law enforcement agencies can seize these assets through forfeiture proceedings. This serves as a punishment for the offender and a means to disrupt criminal enterprises.

Travel Restrictions
Convictions related to drug smuggling can result in travel restrictions imposed on the individual. These restrictions may include bans on leaving the country to prevent the convicted person from continuing their criminal activities abroad. Such measures are implemented to ensure that those involved in drug smuggling cannot easily evade justice by fleeing the country.

Lets move to the selling of the illegally imported alcohol:

You can be stopped, fined or arrested by police if you’re under 18 and drinking alcohol in public.

If you’re under 18, it’s against the law:

• for someone to sell you alcohol
• to buy or try to buy alcohol
• for an adult to buy or try to buy alcohol for you
• to drink alcohol in licensed premises (such as a pub or restaurant)

However, if you’re 16 or 17 and accompanied by an adult, you can drink (but not buy) beer, wine or cider with a meal.

If you’re 16 or under, you may be able to go to a pub (or premises primarily used to sell alcohol) if you’re accompanied by an adult. However, this isn’t always the case. It can also depend on the specific conditions for that premises.

It’s illegal to give alcohol to children under 5.

For the sake of your argument, we’ll remove the law that says its illegal to sell alcohol to children, I guess? Regardless, it might be some enterprising individuals that are selling it, but they are selling the alcohol in the UK. In UK currency, To UK residents. In the UK. We are getting into possibly exchanging UK currency for US currency, which is a whole new can of worms, but we can save that for later.

Now to your question:

now, do you still think the UK government has a right to fine 4chan or do you think maybe the UK government should elaborate on their prohibition regulations to ensure their citizens are properly “protected”?

Easy answer is yes. They should be fined for smuggling alcohol into the UK, which is what the current law calls for.

Now hypothetical for you.

Imagine for a moment that the UK has banned looking at alcohol if you are under 18. Doesn’t matter if you look at alcohol if you are over the age of 18, but you just can’t legally look at alcohol if you are under 18.

Now someone comes along named 4chan and builds a giant building in the UK that has a ton of alcohol inside of it. There isn’t anything outside of the building. Its only inside where the alcohol is. They don’t have protections in place that prevent anyone under 18 from going inside the building. Anyone can come in and look. You can be 5 years old, or 100 years old. As a matter of fact, tons of people from all over the UK come and visit this building daily, even children.

Now the UK government comes along and says, “Hey 4chan, you need to verify that anyone that goes into your building is at least 18 years old, because if someone under 18 looks at the alcohol in there, thats against the law.”

4chan ignores the UK and continues letting anyone inside, not verifying anyone’s age. Not only that, but they’re actually selling alcohol to children in there, and letting children make their own alcohol as well.

Should the UK be allowed to fine/arrest 4chan until they meet the demands?