Google will soon ask Australian users to show ID to view some content

Post by socksset » Mon, Mar 21, 2022, 12:32 PM UTC

car_analogy wrote: post #172

tzs wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It looks like it is for YouTube and Play content, not search links. If so, I don't see how it is any more dystopian than the ID requirements that have long been in place for non-internet media. I don't recall anyone calling it dystopian back in the '70s for instance when we had to show ID to rent movies from the "adult" room at the local video rental store.

After showing ID, did the rental place record it, the video you rented, when you rented it and for how long, then store that information in a database shared with other outlets of the giant multinational conglomerate which it belongs to, sell it to advertisers and corporate security, and make it available on request to governments of the world? And was this process duplicated for every other piece of media you consum…

Post by mikem170 » Mon, Mar 21, 2022, 2:01 PM UTC

int_19h wrote: post #132

mikem170 wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I admire Switzerland's system, where the people can petition for a referendum to delete any law they don't like. This forces the politicians to negotiate with motivated minorities before creating new laws. Instead in the U.S. we allow rich people and corporations (who are not voters!) to give money to politicians. In most other democracies this is illegal and considered to be corrupt.

Swiss system also allows people to pass any law that they like. For example, the infamous law banning construction of minarets. I'm also not sure how this is supposed to help minorities (motivated or otherwise), since the referendum is country-wide.

Post by int_19h » Mon, Mar 21, 2022, 6:53 PM UTC

simion314 wrote: post #198

int_19h wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a step-by-step thing. First you pass the laws to ban X. Then it turns out that F/OSS makes working around them trivial, and so you ban F/OSS. Then it turns out that proprietary apps can also be hacked, and then you mandate DRM. Again, "Rainbows End" describes the end result quite nicely.

I understand your point and I would prefer not to have to do this. But I was thinking that we already are going down hill better we chose our path then have others to do it. I would prefer to say prove my age to Canonical then have to send my proof to every website individually. As long as a majority of the users are protected I do not see some idiot religious politician complaining that children could root Android p…

Post by medo-bear » Wed, Mar 23, 2022, 7:10 PM UTC

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #174

medo-bear wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I totally disagree that this law warrants Google leaving Australia I think most people have this opinion, but I wonder if they would have the same opinion if the country in question is a non-Anglo non-West but democratic country like India or Brazil For the record, i think Google should leave

> I wonder if they would have the same opinion if the country in question is a non-Anglo non-West but democratic country like India or Brazil I for one would have the same opinion. India and Brazil may have lots of corruption but they are still functioning democracies. If it were Russia or China I would have a different opinion.