Age Verification Fiasco: A Privacy Nightmare in Disguise
Mandatory age verification tools may sound like a noble effort to protect kids online, but they’re really just sneaky surveillance systems in disguise. They throw privacy out the window and create more problems than they solve. EFF is on a mission to convince governments to scrap these misguided plans and find less intrusive solutions.
Hot Take:
In a world where everyone’s trying to be the internet police, age verification is like asking for an ID at a lemonade stand – sure, it might keep the toddlers at bay, but does it really protect anyone, or does it just ruin the fun for everyone?
Key Points:
- EFF is campaigning against age verification laws worldwide, calling them surveillance systems that infringe on speech and privacy rights.
- Australia, France, and Norway are implementing or considering age restrictions on social media for minors.
- Canada’s bill S-210 targets sexually explicit content, requiring age verification for access.
- Age verification methods pose significant privacy risks, especially where data protection laws are lacking.
- The European Commission and U.S. are exploring age verification, but no effective, privacy-safe method exists yet.
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