alt Hacker NewsSome of us do see value in age and identity verification if the anonymity problem is solved so I very much disagree.
Replies
Might be vulnerable to classic salami tactics, though. Once we arrive at a general consensus on new norms that expect age verification online, we can just legislate it to ID users as a step 2.
Maybe wait for the next terror-attack before pushing for it, but it's an easy fix to a culture that already accepted a layer control against the user. The end user will only perceive a small difference in whether they provide full ID or just verified age information.
I want to believe that some supporters of age verification are not cynical. However, whatever good can be achieved through age verification seems such a small win, compared to the dangerous precedent it sets for the internet in general. I cannot get my head around it.
And some of us do not believe the identity bit can be truly solved.
In the real world it's always people looking to suppress information or dissent that are pushing for such schemes. It always masquerades as protecting minors (protecting them from what? The one proper attempt to prove sexual materials are harmful found no evidence of said harm.) or as hunting for CSAM (and if you do implement an effective system it will get circumvented by putting relays in hostile countries.)