Post by @argv_minus_one@mastodon.sdf.org
Does anyone have any insights / scoops about the upcoming #EUKidsAct, set to be introduced this Thursday to "age gate" access to social media platforms across the EU? (Thus forcing every citizen to upload their government ID to establish their age)
I'm super worried about the impact on the #OpenSocialWeb and the Fediverse in particular.
🔗 : https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-to-propose-new-legislation-on-minors-protection-on-thursday/
I wish they would share a clear description of the platforms affected by this legislation.
@_elena urgh... Is there any way to do #ageverification privately and securely? It doesn't look like it.
Didn't the EU's solution get hacked on day one?
Valve (Steam) achieved age verification in the UK by requiring a credit card. Because to have a credit card you have to be a certain age
https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/292B-3DA3-CFC8-97F6
this doesn't completely answer your question, but it collapses the need for another privacy disclosure. the credit card company knew before, it still knows, but no one else does
but of course, now your credit card is exposed for another potential data breach
pol, av
And you've shut out individuals and nonprofits from running chat sites. Credit card checks are expensive.
Which I'm fairly sure is the whole idea. Protect Elon Musk's business model by shutting down alternatives like Fedi.
@argv_minus_one @patrickleavy @_elena
no argument. i'm just looking for solutions. but as others have said, credit cards are rarer in europe. so that is a point of education for me as an american and paints this scheme as less workable than i first thought
pol, av
The only real solution is to stop trying to verify people's ages online. There is no way to do that without shutting people out and violating everyone's privacy, because it fundamentally *is* an invasion of privacy (to check your identity) for the purpose of shutting you out (if you're young or anonymous).
@argv_minus_one @patrickleavy @_elena
again, zero argument. ideally we don't have to do this. but if we have to we can't be angry at server admins. it's the govt's fault. we're just chatting about compliance that is easiest and least intrusive
there's no reason to argue, it's just speculation and rumination here
and maybe it will be like bluesky and all you have to do is enter your birthdate. so people can just enter any fake birthdate
nobody is acting like this is imminent or ideal