What's the deal with "age verification" and computers?
7 hours ago
- #legislation
- #privacy
- #open-source
- Age verification laws in California, Singapore, Brazil, and potentially other regions mandate OS distributors to collect and share user age data at account creation.
- These laws are lobbied by Big Tech (Microsoft, Google, Apple) and NGOs like Common Sense Media under the guise of child protection.
- The legislation forces users to share personal data (age), which could ironically aid predators in targeting children.
- Bypassing these requirements is difficult due to OS restrictions (e.g., Windows 11, macOS, Android) and the threat of fines for non-compliance.
- Even open-source Linux distributions (e.g., Ubuntu, Pop! OS) are being pressured to comply, risking the ecosystem's independence.
- Future steps may include software attestation, making it impossible to modify or bypass age verification without breaking functionality.
- The endgame is a digital ID system where users must verify identity to access online services, effectively ending anonymity and open computing.
- Legislators and corporations aim to eliminate free software and privacy, centralizing control over computing.