cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/42943610
Taken from the readme of the app on github:
The current release provides only basic functionality, with several key features to be introduced in future versions, including:
App and device verification based on Google Play Integrity API and Apple App Attestation
Additional issuance methods beyond the currently implemented eID based method.
These planned features align with the requirements and methods described in the Age Verification Profile.
There is an issue opened to remove this as it’s basically telling us that to verify our age in the EU an American corporation has the last word, making it not only a privacy nightmare but a de-facto monopoly on the phone market that will leave out of the verification checks even the fairphone (european) with /e/os.
Since many parents don’t seem to be aware this mode exists, I think it’s a good idea to ask that prominently by default. Technically versed parents like you can still use other approaches.
Absolutely, it is a useful feature for technologically challenged parents, no doubt. However, this way of doing it (using any GAFAM related company or similar) exposes kids to data mining since way before they can make this decision (which most will likely choose to do it anyway, but that’s besides the point). Now, what if these kids grow up to be privacy-minded adults? Their data is already in the hands of others without their consent, and we all know that once data is out there, there’s nothing you can do to reel it back into privacy.
This issue is right up there with parents, or any acquaintances for that matter, uploading photos, videos and PII of our kids with titles like “my awesome nieces and nephews”. My wife’s sister was kicked out of my house because of this, and was banned from interacting with my kids for almost 2 years. The reason? I told her I do not allow my kids’ pictures in social media, and she still did it (maybe thinking I would just bend over and take it).
It’s up to each parent to protect the privacy of their children until they’re old enough to choose for themselves. We are raising privacy-minded kids, but that’s no guarantee that they will be privacy-minded when they are adults. The opposite also holds true. We should not expose our kids to any type of surveillance outside the parents, and even the parents’ surveillance of their kids needs to have limits.
This is why I believe all of us with a little more sense and knowledge, should strive to advocate against this system. All it takes for bad people to win is for good people to do nothing.