posted in Technology

technocrit@technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com

When No ID Means No Internet: Age Verification and the Right to Access Information

Age verification proposals are often presented as a simple tradeoff: sacrifice a little privacy to better safeguard children online. But that framing overlooks a more fundamental question. What happens to people who cannot verify their age at all? This is particularly a problem when users are required to prove their age with identity documents.

www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/10/when-no-id-means-no-internet-age-verification-and-right-access-information
schipelblorp@schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works

Replying to @⁨technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com⁩

I’m payin $25/mo to join an online community by a YouTuber I follow and everyone is using their real names and real photos (or simulacra thereof). It’s pretty crazy.

But I think what will happen is communities will be based on trust, and that trust will eventually be enforced by siloed environments.

Like, right now, I’m guessing that the site’s software is probably hoovering up information and it’s all centralized somewhere… but maybe in the future, if small communities become the norm, providing real privacy will be a thing.

UnderpantsWeevil@UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world

Replying to @⁨schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works⁩

Basically describing what happened with Lemmy. What started out as Reddit Minus Shitbag Mods became a screaming match between .world and .ml, while everyone on .hexbear retreated into exile.

You still won’t have any real trust, because the accusations of “bot” and “shill” will follow anyone who violates a taboo. But you’ll at least have a few people you recognize, who you can have well-defined opinions on.

en
schipelblorp@schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works

Replying to @⁨UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world⁩

I’m thinking more the opposite.

I’m thinking, “How do I keep my information out of the hands of centralized database looking for people spreading discontent?”

Lemmy succeeds only so far as it is anymous, but absent that, anyone can plug in and siphon the database.

A siloed server with good security could lack anonymity, but because the data is not centralized, the feds would have to take a special interest to create an account, and because there would be so many of these instances, it would be a very time consuming process.

But maybe SI, which is what the fascists are calling the fascism machine, would make a mockery of that.

UnderpantsWeevil@UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world

Replying to @⁨schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works⁩

I’m thinking, “How do I keep my information out of the hands of centralized database looking for people spreading discontent?”

On a public forum?

A siloed server with good security could lack anonymity, but because the data is not centralized, the feds would have to take a special interest to create an account, and because there would be so many of these instances, it would be a very time consuming process.

Kinda depends how it’s hosted. You don’t need an account to mine AWS if you can just pick through the backend.