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

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

#321
post #13

Don't fall for the trap. The question isn't how we should technically force age verification on anybody. The question is why they're pushing it onto everyone. I did not consent to this, neither did you.

I and many others have been banned from Twitter for the last two weeks because of a new process[1]. I have to view all links in incognito tabs or hand over my biometric data to a trillionaire. Just don't use Twitter some may quip, well that would be a great group effort, but I can't do it alone.

[1] https://old.reddit.com/r/Twitter/comments/1uk6a98/lets_confi...

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

#322

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe we should protect the children and then they couldn't use the excuse

their parents won't protect them and everyone else has to pay for it. maybe they shouldn't have been allowed to have kids.

The governments won't protect them either. The governments are the ones enabling these corporations to exist and facilitate harm towards children. Maybe they shouldn't be allowed to have those corporations.

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

#323

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe we should protect the children and then they couldn't use the excuse

The scope of the things we already do to "protect the children" is tremendous. None of them have, will, or could prevent them from continuing to use it as an excuse for things that should never be done.

I mean, Facebook conducts genocides and we just, let it do that.

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

#324

Earlier quoted context omitted.

their parents won't protect them and everyone else has to pay for it. maybe they shouldn't have been allowed to have kids.

The governments won't protect them either. The governments are the ones enabling these corporations to exist and facilitate harm towards children. Maybe they shouldn't be allowed to have those corporations.

And then the moment the government does do something, "it's a totalitarian power grab!!!111"

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

#325

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's funny, concomittant all this chest beating about representing open societies, democracies, unlike those creepy evil authoritarian states which we don't like, that the EC seems hell bent on proving we can have a police state _just_ as intrusive if not more than say: Russia. This is not how we were supposed to prove that we are better.

> as intrusive if not more than say: Russia. Ping me when people are physically tortured by police for facebook posts, because that's what happens there.

Does it have to be your exact example? https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/10/un-experts-u...

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

#326
post #191
post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I guess that is one way to manufacture consent.

As another European, I agree with GP. I don't fully trust my government. But I definitely trust it more than any American tech company. I can also vote out my government. I can't do that for Big Tech.

I am also European, not sure why that matters though.

This type of argument always sounds to me like someone was abused by their ex-partner, but now prefers their new partner who abuses them a little less.

This is a common negotiation practice in business as well as politics. You make some absolutely outrageous demand, and people protest, but then you give them the -originally planned- light version of it, and they will accept it; in light of the worse option.

There is no reason to endure this BS, hence I referenced manufacturing consent.

I sometimes can not believe how easily people allow themselves to be manipulated.

///

And you can vote out "Big Tech" - by refusing to use their products. Giving up your rights to play some videogame, as GP outlined, is an absolutely sad thing to witness. There are people who fought and died for the rights we have, and we allow them to be eroded for some silly consumerism.

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

#327
post #326
post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As another European, I agree with GP. I don't fully trust my government. But I definitely trust it more than any American tech company. I can also vote out my government. I can't do that for Big Tech.

I am also European, not sure why that matters though. This type of argument always sounds to me like someone was abused by their ex-partner, but now prefers their new partner who abuses them a little less. This is a common negotiation practice in business as well as politics. You make some absolutely outrageous demand, and people protest, but then you give them the -originally planned- light version of it, and they w…

> And you can vote out "Big Tech" - by refusing to use their products

That argument completely ignores network effects. Case in point, Twitter is, for better or worse, still where a lot of public figures post their updates and announcements. It also now randomly bans people unless they give their biometric data to an oligarch that supports right wing extremists: https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/1ukil0b/twitter_x_...

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

#328

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, it is much easier to ignore the unelected bureaucrats than to jump through their ridiculous hoops.

See, you’re just saying what they’re saying, but with emotive, thought-terminating language. Again, it’s easier to complain. Have you been living under a rock for your entire life? Have never ever been involved in a decision being made about certain “blessed” vendors, and the decision is being made for legitimate technical reasons, not “ridiculous” ones. If you’re the sort of person that’s unable to distinguish betwe…

What?

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

#329
post #327
post #326

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am also European, not sure why that matters though. This type of argument always sounds to me like someone was abused by their ex-partner, but now prefers their new partner who abuses them a little less. This is a common negotiation practice in business as well as politics. You make some absolutely outrageous demand, and people protest, but then you give them the -originally planned- light version of it, and they w…

> And you can vote out "Big Tech" - by refusing to use their products That argument completely ignores network effects. Case in point, Twitter is, for better or worse, still where a lot of public figures post their updates and announcements. It also now randomly bans people unless they give their biometric data to an oligarch that supports right wing extremists: https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/1ukil0b/twitt…

I'm not sure what that has to do with age verification or such things, and even if you don't want to use the platform directly you can use mirrors like xcancel.com or nitter.net as drop-in replacements (which I use.) I dont think that site has any age verification measures implemented that are mandated by law as of now. But I'd just stop using it if they did or if the mirrors stopped working.

All in all, I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the original topic of EU being about to enforce 'age verification'.

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

#330
post #107

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.

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 h…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe%27s_law
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