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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[–] Lfrith@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Yes, and by turning it on you are opting in to allowing your ISP to decide what information you get access to. Making that the default is a TERRIBLE idea.

So turn it off.

Yes! What I'm trying to describe is that process, but in a digital space. Swap the store with a LOCAL app (ie: one that doesn't phone home, and can generate the tokens on your device), and swap the ID with the cert file, and you've got the same process in the digital space, with all the same benefits

I dont trust the digital space version because you'd have to trust the code and to be an approved system would require the government to sign off on it. Third party doesn't exist in a independent space for something like this when government oversight is required.

But, it doesn't matter. Like I said before. The goal isn't verification to protect people. It's surveillance. That's why I remain so skeptical of people who despite the current world keep insisting and arguing for verification, because the ideal government doesn't exist. And even if it does governments change like Hungary.

[–] Kraiden@piefed.social 0 points 1 day ago

you’d have to trust the code and to be an approved system would require the government to sign off on it

No! That's the great part, because it's just fancy crypto maths, there's no reason it couldn't be a FOSS app. Estonia has several 3rd party providers, and they do get certified, but that's not a necessity

So turn it off.

Tell that to the people in China. Seriously, if you get a chance, read the article I linked. It'll do a much better job than I ever could at explaining why what you're describing is just about the worst possible solution to this problem imaginable.