logoalt Hacker News

ecshafertoday at 6:11 PM5 repliesview on HN

UK fining an American company for this is absurd. 4Chan isn't breaking any laws. You can make it illegal for your own citizens but you can't regulate a foreign business. UK citizens should fight for the right to free speech though.


Replies

gioboxtoday at 6:27 PM

While I agree it seems absurd, this is how the UK's unwritten constitution works - the UK Parliament is not restricted to legislating just for the territory of the UK. Of course it can only realistically enforce within UK borders, but it can pass whatever legislation it wishes.

There is a famous quote regarding this nature of British parliamentary sovereignty that is taught to every law student in the UK: "If Parliament enacts that smoking in the streets of Paris is an offence, then it is an offence" - Ivor Jennings.

okanattoday at 6:28 PM

This is false. You of course can regulate and fine a foreign business. That's how trade regulations work.

The UK isn't going to get a cent from that but the leadership is banned from entering the UK for the foreseeable future.

Doing this a lot as a country is how you achieve pariah status and losing a bunch of trade, though.

show 2 replies
kaspernitoday at 6:46 PM

How is this different than, for example, the US fining TikTok? https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-ftc-record-fine-childrens...

show 2 replies
nkrisctoday at 7:44 PM

> but you can't regulate a foreign business.

Sure they can. It’s unlikely they can do anything about it though.

cyberclimbtoday at 6:19 PM

How about the EU imposing GDPR restrictions on non-eu companies?

show 5 replies