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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[–] Kraiden@piefed.social 5 points 1 day 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"