this post was submitted on 08 Mar 2026
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Online age-verification tools spread across U.S. for child safety, but adults are being surveilled (www.cnbc.com)
submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by throws_lemy@lemmy.nz to c/technology@lemmy.world
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New U.S laws designed to protect minors are pulling millions of adult Americans into mandatory age-verification gates to access online content, leading to backlash from users and criticism from privacy advocates that a free and open internet is at stake. Roughly half of U.S. states have enacted or are advancing laws requiring platforms — including adult content sites, online gaming services, and social media apps — to block underage users, forcing companies to screen everyone who approaches these digital gates.

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[–] IratePirate@feddit.org 12 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

The problem is: you're assuming they're arguing in good faith when they say it's about pRoTeCtInG tHe ChIlDrEn. It's not. It's a pretext for the data grab and mass surveillance of everyone. They will gladly take your argument, claim age verification is compatible with privacy and anonymity, and then introduce age verification systems that do implement mass surveillance. Don't give them an inch.

[–] Kraiden@piefed.social 5 points 23 hours ago

No I'm not! I'm in 100% agreement with you that this has nothing to do with protecting children! Age verification, if done properly, is a good idea, that I'm completely for. But you're right, this isn't that. This is a smokescreen.

I just want to be sure that people understand that they ARE using a good idea as their cover here. It CAN be compatible with privacy and anonymity, and it is a good idea to stop young children engaging with the cess pit that is modern social media.

At some point, I sincerely hope that the current regime will end and be replaced by something more sane. At that point, I don't want people to immediately think "age verification = bad"