‘Futurebook’ parody site shows a dystopian digital future

Launched today, Open Rights Group’s futurebook.co website starkly shows how the UK online landscape might look if a post-Brexit government decides to roll back on citizens’ digital rights.

Futurebook is a parody social media website designed to warn users about how changes in Government policy could negatively impact rights to freedom of expression and privacy and disrupt user experiences online.

The website features disabled comments, invasive advertising, blocked content and throttled streaming. These are all potential outcomes of UK digital policy developments after leaving the European Union.

Matthew Rice, Open Rights Group Scotland Director, said:

“If we lose rights to free expression and privacy, the online world will begin to look a lot more like Futurebook – creepy, annoying and bland. Futurebook is a nightmare that Open Rights Group is determined to fight against.”

Contact: matthew@openrightsgroup.org

Notes to editors:

Futurebook is freely accessible at www.futurebook.co

The United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union on 31 October.

Both candidates in the Conservative Party leadership contest have stated they will renegotiate the current Withdrawal Agreement creating uncertainty regarding the status of fundamental rights https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48767191

Open Rights Group policy briefings on Brexit and fundamental rights are available here:

Report: Privacy and Brexit https://www.openrightsgroup.org/about/reports/privacy-and-brexit

Report: Freedom of Expression and Brexit https://www.openrightsgroup.org/about/reports/freedom-of-expression-and-brexit

The E-Commerce Directive 2000 prevents EU Member States from imposing liability on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook for content posted thereon. The EU Open Internet Regulation 2015 enshrines the principle of net neutrality: that internet traffic shall be treated without discrimination, blocking, throttling or priorisation. The EU General Data Protection Regulation and EU Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulation set the rules for the way companies and services can market to individuals and track people online.
ORGCon organised by Open Rights Group, the largest digital rights event in the United Kingdom will be taking place on Saturday 13 July 2019, with keynote speaker Edward Snowden. Tickets are available here https://orgcon.openrightsgroup.org/2019/