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Age verification for social media, the beginning of the end for a free internet?

mullvad.net

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Re: Age verification for social media, the beginning of the end for a free internet?

#11

Post by homeonthemtn »

userbinator wrote: post #3
palata wrote: post #2

Good arguments there, and for once addressing privacy-preserving age verification. I just don't like that proponents of age verification are systematically (including in this article) dismissed as authoritarians hiding behind "just another “what about the children” excuse to introduce mass surveillance and censorship". Many people genuinely want to find a solution that is better for the children, and telling them "if…

Many people genuinely want to find a solution that is better for the children, and telling them "if you are open to age verification you are either a fascist or a moron" is not constructive. We know they'll take a mile if you give them an inch. Ditto with "trusted" computing and the rest of that wormcan. That's why the opposition has to be absolute.

Sure but that absolute opposition hasn't, as far I can tell at least, achieved an iota of success. So it's largely a self indulgent merit badge than an actual strategy.

Re: Age verification for social media, the beginning of the end for a free internet?

#12

Post by benfortuna »

QuadmasterXLII wrote: post #8
palata wrote: post #2

Good arguments there, and for once addressing privacy-preserving age verification. I just don't like that proponents of age verification are systematically (including in this article) dismissed as authoritarians hiding behind "just another “what about the children” excuse to introduce mass surveillance and censorship". Many people genuinely want to find a solution that is better for the children, and telling them "if…

Parents need to either control the internet, or control their children’s devices and screentime. The latter sounds like the obvious option, except that Google wants every second grader to have a school-mismanaged chromebook and Google wants to mediate control of the internet, and by pushing parents to the former they win on both fronts.

Requiring parents to police their child's every move is not going to end well.

Re: Age verification for social media, the beginning of the end for a free internet?

#13

Post by gizajob »

“Introducing age verification is based on the state being able to force social media companies to verify their users’ identities”

Users have been doing this themselves without state coercion for twenty years now by putting their real names all over Facebook and all the other socials. Nobody forced them to use their real names and post countless pictures of their faces alongside, and pour out the totality of their worthless opinions on every issue. Compared to this, when considered sensibly, the verification is almost a trivial step.

Re: Age verification for social media, the beginning of the end for a free internet?

#14

Post by ElProlactin »

Avicebron wrote: post #4
palata wrote: post #2

Good arguments there, and for once addressing privacy-preserving age verification. I just don't like that proponents of age verification are systematically (including in this article) dismissed as authoritarians hiding behind "just another “what about the children” excuse to introduce mass surveillance and censorship". Many people genuinely want to find a solution that is better for the children, and telling them "if…

Do you believe people should be able to traverse the internet anonymously?

You can't. Even if you haven't registered or logged in, companies like Facebook have identified you and track you everywhere you go.

Re: Age verification for social media, the beginning of the end for a free internet?

#15

Post by tmpz22 »

Animats wrote: post #5

So, to post something in 2027: - You have to have an approved browser. - It has to be installed on an approved platform, Google or Apple, for which you have a valid account. - You have to have an account on the posting platform. - You have to get past moderation on the posting platform. That's without age verification.

And your data on all those platforms - Google, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, etc. are ALL building comprehensive profiles on you, selling your data, and probably tossing it straight to the government in one way or another.

Re: Age verification for social media, the beginning of the end for a free internet?

#17

Post by idiotsecant »

palata wrote: post #2

Good arguments there, and for once addressing privacy-preserving age verification. I just don't like that proponents of age verification are systematically (including in this article) dismissed as authoritarians hiding behind "just another “what about the children” excuse to introduce mass surveillance and censorship". Many people genuinely want to find a solution that is better for the children, and telling them "if…

Age verification literally already exists in a way that doesn't require orwellian centralized control. The tag has existed for decades. If you want to restrict access force websites to apply these tags, then use a browser that obeys them. Parents control what their kids access, mostly, like it's been since forever.

Think carefully about why a politician might disregard this extremely simple mechanism and you'll have your answer about the real goals here

Re: Age verification for social media, the beginning of the end for a free internet?

#18

Post by ElProlactin »

tmpz22 wrote: post #15
Animats wrote: post #5

So, to post something in 2027: - You have to have an approved browser. - It has to be installed on an approved platform, Google or Apple, for which you have a valid account. - You have to have an account on the posting platform. - You have to get past moderation on the posting platform. That's without age verification.

And your data on all those platforms - Google, Apple, Facebook, Twitter, etc. are ALL building comprehensive profiles on you, selling your data, and probably tossing it straight to the government in one way or another.

And just so we're clear: these companies are building these profiles even if you haven't registered and/or logged into their services.

Re: Age verification for social media, the beginning of the end for a free internet?

#19

Post by mylifeandtimes »

EU law gives every citizen a right to a bank account.

I wonder if EU law could give every citizen a right to a google or Apple account, including a forced recovery option if the account is 'deactivated'?

If at some point such an account becomes essential to function in society, access to such an account becomes a legal mandate.

Re: Age verification for social media, the beginning of the end for a free internet?

#20

Post by cdrnsf »

benfortuna wrote: post #12
QuadmasterXLII wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Parents need to either control the internet, or control their children’s devices and screentime. The latter sounds like the obvious option, except that Google wants every second grader to have a school-mismanaged chromebook and Google wants to mediate control of the internet, and by pushing parents to the former they win on both fronts.

Requiring parents to police their child's every move is not going to end well.

And having the state do it is better?
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