Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

European "age verification" "app" forcing everyone to use Android or iOS

github.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

101–110 of 457 posts

Re: European "age verification" "app" forcing everyone to use Android or iOS

#101

Post by amelius »

pibaker wrote: post #42
choo-t wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can (and should) be mad at the government and at Roblox at the same time. Also, don't use Roblox, you can freely share games made with PICO-8, Löve, Godot, Rpgmaker, Game maker and the like, no need to go to the hell scape that is Roblox and its dark patern and locked down ecosystem.

None of the engines you mentioned are nearly as approachable as roblox when it comes to making a 3D game with little programming or art skills. Don't get me wrong. I agree roblox is a very shady operation, but that does not erase the fact that their platform is unmatched when it comes to letting kids make games.

> Don't get me wrong. I agree roblox is a very shady operation, but that does not erase the fact that their platform is unmatched when it comes to letting kids make games.

Ok, well then, toss your hands in the air and throw away all your principles then, I suppose.

Re: European "age verification" "app" forcing everyone to use Android or iOS

#103

Post by perching_aix »

spaqin wrote: post #18

Funny how the worry of "digital exclusion" of the elders who would never be able to use a smartphone has been thrown out of the window in recent years.

I don't think this is relevant for them by definition, so that's an odd point to raise. It's hard to be encumbered by having to manage a digital identity, when you don't do anything digitally in the first place.

Re: European "age verification" "app" forcing everyone to use Android or iOS

#105

Post by roundabout-host »

hahahaa wrote: post #10
iLoveOncall wrote: post #5

I agree with the sentiment but is there even any phone that doesn't run Android (or derivatives) or iOS and that can install modern "apps"?

Run linux?

I don't understand. Even if you run GNU/Linux, when you access a restricted website on it, you will have to scan a QR code with the Android or iOS app. https://cinema.ageverification.dev> is a demo which shows that.

Re: European "age verification" "app" forcing everyone to use Android or iOS

#106

Post by roundabout-host »

lstodd wrote: post #52
tikkabhuna wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would an age verification app need to know your ethnicity/religion? Governments likely already know your name, age, place of birth, so having an app with a standard API for verifying users isn't giving the government additional data.

"government" age verification app will be made and maintan ed by some corp anyways. so it will gather extra data, sell it sideways and leak like hell. (as they already do with all the data they already have)

Since it requires Android or iOS, Google/Apple can gather the same data too.

Re: European "age verification" "app" forcing everyone to use Android or iOS

#107

Post by spwa4 »

anal_reactor wrote: post #92
jck86 wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But it is needed to protect the children. The politicians say so, so it has to be true. Being against this is very dangerous to our children and democracy. There is no alternative. Seriously, there is something tremendously wrong with governance when politicians keep changing the whole world around us, without us having any say in it at all. The threat this measure poses to the internet and society is significant, ye…

> Seriously, there is something tremendously wrong with governance when politicians keep changing the whole world around us, without us having any say in it at all. That's where you're wrong. Most people actually do agree with age verification. Just because a decision is stupid it doesn't mean it's undemocratic. Trump was elected democratically, twice. Brexit passed through a referendum.

Luckily, the EU's current structure was put to a referendum. That referendum then failed to get the votes needed, so they implemented it anyway. Much superior.

It's just like democracy. Without the "dem(b)" part. Much better now.

We have such warm feelings about it! What could possibly go wrong with doing such strong governance and extreme-right parties polling at record highs in more than half the EU countries? We have warm feelings now. Or maybe the warm feelings the result of 30 years of climate action in the EU. Luckily, the extreme right is hard at work defending our right to airconditioning!

Re: European "age verification" "app" forcing everyone to use Android or iOS

#108

Post by roundabout-host »

anal_reactor wrote: post #92
jck86 wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But it is needed to protect the children. The politicians say so, so it has to be true. Being against this is very dangerous to our children and democracy. There is no alternative. Seriously, there is something tremendously wrong with governance when politicians keep changing the whole world around us, without us having any say in it at all. The threat this measure poses to the internet and society is significant, ye…

> Seriously, there is something tremendously wrong with governance when politicians keep changing the whole world around us, without us having any say in it at all. That's where you're wrong. Most people actually do agree with age verification. Just because a decision is stupid it doesn't mean it's undemocratic. Trump was elected democratically, twice. Brexit passed through a referendum.

Maybe it depends on how you frame it.

> Social media is destroying children's brains! Do you want access to be delayed until a certain age?

> Do you want children under a certain age to be banned from social media, which means that you will now have to give your ID, only with Android or iOS?

Re: European "age verification" "app" forcing everyone to use Android or iOS

#109

Post by yorwba »

roundabout-host wrote: post #80
skrebbel wrote: post #30

I agree wholeheartedly with the argument raised in this github issue, but I think people are wrong to be skeptical about the concept of a government-issued age verification app. Thing is, the status quo is absolutely worse. My 13yo son likes making Roblox games. Suddenly, some months ago, Roblox made a change where you’re not allowed to share your games with friends unless you do “age verification”, apparently in som…

The "app" could be a good solution, if it didn't require attested Android or iOS. It could, for example, have me plug my ID chip into my GNU/Linux system and expose it with a standard protocol. That would be no problem. The problem is that they do not want such a way. In any case, I think that age gating would not be needed if the platforms were regulated to remove addictive recommendation algorithms.

Using an ID card reader is already possible. See here for a list of Linux repos supporting German IDs: https://www.ausweisapp.bund.de/en/open-source Finding a working hardware/software combination for your ID card is up to you.

The app is an alternative for people who don't want to buy or carry around a card reader, but who already have a smartphone.

Re: European "age verification" "app" forcing everyone to use Android or iOS

#110

Post by anal_reactor »

roundabout-host wrote: post #108
anal_reactor wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Seriously, there is something tremendously wrong with governance when politicians keep changing the whole world around us, without us having any say in it at all. That's where you're wrong. Most people actually do agree with age verification. Just because a decision is stupid it doesn't mean it's undemocratic. Trump was elected democratically, twice. Brexit passed through a referendum.

Maybe it depends on how you frame it. > Social media is destroying children's brains! Do you want access to be delayed until a certain age? > Do you want children under a certain age to be banned from social media, which means that you will now have to give your ID, only with Android or iOS?

> only with Android or iOS

99% of people understand this as "you need a smartphone" which is not a problem in 2026, even for the elderly.

Post reply on HN