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Checking Your Location by Geofencing

TheMixTheMix Posts: 3,172 Boards Guru
edited February 27 in Community Announcements
Hey everyone,

We wanted to let you know about a change you may notice when you next log in to our Discussion Boards. We’ve added a function called Geofencing which checks where a user is physically based. It will be going live shortly.

As you know, The Mix provides support for young people aged 13-25 living in the UK. For The Mix to be compliant, we have a legal requirement to verify the location of young people using our online services.

All you have to do is log in as normal. Then when you log in, you’ll see a pop up that asks “Are you currently in the UK?” It looks like this:
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If you select “Yes”, you’re confirming you’re in the UK and you’ll be able to use our boards as normal.

If you select “No”, you’re confirming you’re not in the UK and won’t be able to post or react to posts.

The pop-up box will appear every time you log in to check you're currently in the UK whilst you use our Discussion Boards.

We’re here if you have any questions about this. You can either leave a response here, DM us, or send an email to community@themix.org.uk

The Mix Community Team :star:

Comments

  • independent_independent_ Community Champion Posts: 9,141 Supreme Poster
    edited February 27
    I’m going to put the same question I asked last night up here too. The mix has been a UK service for the past 25 or so years, however long it has been around. So surely, if this is a major issue, we should have always been checking if someone was in the UK? And if not, I’m curious what the big change in legislation or whatever is that means we suddenly have to start checking now.

    If it pops up every time, does this mean that people can’t use the boards while they’re on holiday if they happen to go abroad? That is if someone who is normally in the UK goes to Spain for a week they can’t use the boards for that week? I ask this because holidays can be tough at times, with family etc, and some people do need support. Is this not possible anymore without telling a porky pie and ticking the box?

    Oh and also, what happens if someone is always signed in? If they use a device which is only their’s, and tick the box to keep them signed in, will it only ask if we sign out and back in again?

    And for my NI and ROI friends, I’ll put this here for you. Hopefully it doesn’t exclude people in NI at all as it is part of the UK. But what about the ROI, Channel Islands etc?
    “Sometimes the people around you won’t understand your journey. They don’t need to, it’s not for them.”
  • Amy22Amy22 Posts: 5,028 Part of The Furniture
    independent_ wrote: »
    I’m going to put the same question I asked last night up here too. The mix has been a UK service for the past 25 or so years, however long it has been around. So surely, if this is a major issue, we should have always been checking if someone was in the UK? And if not, I’m curious what the big change in legislation or whatever is that means we suddenly have to start checking now.

    If it pops up every time, does this mean that people can’t use the boards while they’re on holiday if they happen to go abroad? That is if someone who is normally in the UK goes to Spain for a week they can’t use the boards for that week? I ask this because holidays can be tough at times, with family etc, and some people do need support. Is this not possible anymore without telling a porky pie and ticking the box?

    Oh and also, what happens if someone is always signed in? If they use a device which is only their’s, and tick the box to keep them signed in, will it only ask if we sign out and back in again?

    And for my NI and ROI friends, I’ll put this here for you. Hopefully it doesn’t exclude people in NI at all as it is part of the UK. But what about the ROI, Channel Islands etc?

    I also second this as well too because one of my main concerns I guess is that as you said say if you did go away abroad on holiday and you needed to access the mix for any reason, the geofencing thing may stop UK residents on holiday being able to access their support.

    One thing I may mention that is also as its pretty much a tick box option asking if your in the UK or not, this doesn't really stop anyone from telling a white lie and saying they are based in the UK when they could be from the EU or elsewhere etc. Having a tick box option is so easy because anyone can tick a box and say yes. Obviously I understand the guidelines because the uk will have different safeguarding regulations compared to the rest of the EU including ROI and NI. It's just concerning that it could excluding people from ROI and NI to be able access support that they need.
    Just a person who likes pop culture and films
  • independent_independent_ Community Champion Posts: 9,141 Supreme Poster
    edited February 27
    It definitely shouldn’t exclude NI, as NI is part of the UK. So long as this is widely understood (I have heard stories of people in NI struggling to access UK services) it shouldn’t be an issue for people in NI. This was covered in the session last night but I think we were still waiting for more information on ROI and the Channel Islands.

    I’m also going to assume that, as a registered charity in England, your policies and things are based on English law? I think someone pointed out as well that Scotland, Wales and NI have some very different legislation, so it’s worth making it clear to users in those countries (like me) if English law is what’s being used in safeguarding etc.
    “Sometimes the people around you won’t understand your journey. They don’t need to, it’s not for them.”
  • TheNightmareTheNightmare Posts: 2,976 Boards Guru
    Is this actually for real?!
  • shannon_164shannon_164 Community Champion Posts: 729 Part of The Mix Family
    independent_ wrote: »
    It definitely shouldn’t exclude NI, as NI is part of the UK. So long as this is widely understood (I have heard stories of people in NI struggling to access UK services) it shouldn’t be an issue for people in NI. This was covered in the session last night but I think we were still waiting for more information on ROI and the Channel Islands.

    I’m also going to assume that, as a registered charity in England, your policies and things are based on English law? I think someone pointed out as well that Scotland, Wales and NI have some very different legislation, so it’s worth making it clear to users in those countries (like me) if English law is what’s being used in safeguarding etc.

    pls don’t take this as 100% fact, just in case i’m wrong, but i think on chat on wednesday night it was stated that the mix are aware of legislation differences in england compared to northern ireland for example therefore they base it on individuals as opposed to one set thing as it will be different for me being in northern ireland compared to you being in scotland - i hope that makes some sense, ive confused myself trying to explain what i mean haha but they did definitely mention being aware of different legislation in different parts of the uk!
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