Oh carp Imgur

[Local/Brian]

WOW just looked on Imgur and it's saying as from 30 September 2025 it's no longer available in the UK
So here again something has been lost .

Looks like another hosting platform will have to be used / No reason for them with drawing from the uk that I have seen .

[Tom]

If that's the case I'll download all my ancient pics quick

[Tom]

Ah missed it there goes ancient pics

[Dyl]

FFS!!!

[Dyl]

Bit of an explanation below

Imgur has indeed stopped working (or become severely restricted) in the UK. Here’s a breakdown of what’s happened and why — and some of the implications:

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What’s happening
• As of 30 September 2025, Imgur blocked UK users, meaning people in the UK can no longer log in, upload images, or even view content normally — including content embedded from Imgur into other sites.
• When UK-based users try to view Imgur, they see a message like “Content not available in your region.”

⸻

Why it’s happening
• The block appears to follow pressure from the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Imgur’s parent company, MediaLab, was warned about potential fines over issues concerning the handling of children’s data and its age verification practices.
• The ICO is investigating Imgur (along with other platforms) for compliance with UK laws, particularly those about online safety (e.g. protecting children) and age verification. Imgur apparently opted to exit or restrict service in the UK rather than meet the requirements (or face penalties).

⸻

Implications & what it means
• UK users can’t view many images hosted on Imgur, even when they are embedded elsewhere (e.g. Reddit, forums, etc.).
• Functionality like uploading images, logging in, etc., is also blocked.
• Some people are speculating that this is related to the Online Safety Act (OSA) in the UK, which imposes obligations on platforms for age verification, unsafe content, etc. Imgur may have judged that complying was too onerous vs. the risk of fines.

[Dyl]

Some alternative Service that are similar to Imgur I’ve not had a chance to check these out but heard of Photobucket and Flickr so will try these 2 first

Key Features + Pros
Things to Check / Cons

Postimages
Simple, fast, free uploads. Good for quick share & embed links.
Might have less “community” features, or less polish. Also watch file size limits.

ImageShack
More premium features, albums, better image management. Better for regular/higher-use.
Costs for premium; free tiers more limited. The speed / availability of embeds might vary.

Photobucket
Long-standing service; good for backups, embeds, etc.
Has changed over time; some features locked behind paywalls; check that embed / hotlinking rights are okay.

Flickr
Good if you want higher-quality uploads, organisation (albums), community / sharing.
Less suited for very quick throwaway/temporary images or pure “embed everywhere” unless you pay or accept some limitations. Also maybe more angled toward photography rather than general meme / GIF sharing.

ImgBB
Frequently mentioned as a working alternative; supports embedding and uploads.
Free vs paid tiers, ads, maybe limitations on size or file type. Also consider permanence / stability of service.

ImgPile
Allows uploads up to ~100 MB, categorized images, deletion tools.
Registration requirements; sometimes limit how many large files or how long images stay active unless used.

Kek.gg
Simple, fast, no registration needed for basic use. Useful for casual sharing.
Less control, fewer advanced features; file size limits etc.

[Dyl]

https://flic.kr/p/2rwAbut

[Dyl]

Bingo postimage worked its not an APP just a website
Don’t need an account just copy the hotlink for forums then paste the link

[Local/Brian]

Nice on Dly for taking the time and explaing for others
I will just use the ImgBB picture hosting app this is easy and it has a very handy thing were you can set a auto delete time for the pictures you post up.

If other's would like a post on how to use this ImgBB I could post it up or as Dyl has with other one he will as well if other's need it.

I do fully understand why imgur has been shut down / But it typical of things knower days don't think about your actions and affects it will have on other's just go with a so what attitude many people would of lost very important or sentimental picture because of no warning to users over this action

Cheers Brian.

[Dyl]

The below from AI regarding Imgur

1. It looks like a legal / regulatory decision made quickly
• UK regulators (mainly the Information Commissioner’s Office, or ICO) have been investigating platforms that don’t comply with child safety, data, and age-verification rules under the UK’s Online Safety Act and Children’s Code.
• If the ICO signals that a company is at risk of heavy fines or legal action, many services respond by immediately cutting off access rather than risk non-compliance — especially if they don’t have the infrastructure to comply right away.
• That’s likely what Imgur did: they decided to block UK users first, then review their options.

⸻

2. They probably feared that warning users would draw regulator attention
• Announcing “we’re leaving because of UK law” before actually doing it might have been seen by regulators as admitting non-compliance, potentially opening them up to faster enforcement or fines.
• By acting quietly, they avoided public scrutiny during the legal transition.

⸻
3. It may have been a last-minute internal decision
• Several reports suggest that the decision was made just days before the UK block went live.
• That might mean Imgur was trying to work out compliance options until the last moment, then decided it wasn’t feasible — leaving little time to warn users properly.

[Local/Brian]

WHAT WHAT
Imgur images are back on this site ? / But app is down and not available