For the last couple of years, we’ve watched the same predictable cycle play out across the globe: a state (or country) passes a clunky age-verification mandate, and, without fail, Virtual Private Network (VPN) usage surges as residents scramble to maintain their privacy and anonymity. We've seen...

For the last couple of years, we’ve watched the same predictable cycle play out across the globe: a state (or country) passes a clunky age-verification mandate, and, without fail, Virtual Private Network (VPN) usage surges as residents scramble to maintain their privacy and anonymity. We’ve seen…

  • ConsciousDissonance@lemmy.world
    2·
    2 days ago

    This effectively pushes risk averse platforms to universally apply age gating to everyone. The technical impossibility is a feature in this case. As it increases the legal risk of selectively age gating. The path of least resistance then becomes universal age gating, as the alternative is increased costs and liability from selective enforcement. Selective compliance may be acceptable depending on the company, if revenue loss is greater than the maintenance cost. But it is a blow for privacy and win for censorship that these questions even need be asked.