A community for Lemmy users interested in privacy
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Apple iOS now requires age verification to access websites it deems 18+. Not even using another browser like Firefox works, it's blocked at the OS level.
I was putting off switching to Graphene or e/os until prices improve, but looks like my hand is forced.
Edit: VPN doesn't even work because Apple knows your GPS location. I haven't tried location spoofing yet because that's a bit more annoying to setup.
I had this pop up personally, thankfully my Apple account itself is old enough to vote - so that was the extent of the age verification.
Still doesn’t bode well for younger generations though.
Thank Australia first. Apple is just complying with their rules at this point. Not that they mind imo, but still, it comes from the government overreach.
Edit: Reading some other comments that I might be wrong about the laws. Still something to bring to your lawmakers as an issue needing addressed. Apple effectively telling the Australian people what they can and cannot see.
Though it does look like it might stem from the social media restrictions put in place.
Australian restrictions for social media and pornography do not require OS level enforcement, it applies to the sites to restrict access. OS level enforcement has come from several US state legislation and EU/UK push. Google/ Android will likely be rolling it out soon (this is part of Google enforcing stricter app store developer requirements) and technically Windows and Mac should be pushing it at the desktop level.
Ewwww, do not like that! But also even if it doesn't originate here, Australia is the test bed for this junk to see if it flys with the people. So far most of us have just laid down in front of the steam roller for "SECURITY!!!!?!"!!"
Laughshop.com
Looks like Australia might be doing OP a favor in this case.
Those AI thumbnails are as offensive as fuck, I'm gonna block that shit on all my devices
Maybe Apple was protecting me all along lol - this site isn't safe even for adults
Never have I ever paid my eyes upon a website so catered to boomers.
FYI, there are no alternative browsers on iOS. Every single one is Safari with a skin, even Firefox. This is also a requirement by Apple, and one of the many reasons why I'll never own an iPhone. It's my device; I should be allowed to use any browser I want, install anything I want.
How does that work? Do you have any links with more information?
I use Orion browser on an iPhone. I'm not sure what to search to find info about how this all works on that browser. All my searches are returning are sites that compare features between the two. I'm not a tech person (unless you ask non-Millennials), and this is the first time I've heard that every iOS browser is actually Safari in disguise. I need to know more!
due to Apple's platform rules, every browser that runs on iOS is WebKit-based, so there are few opportunities for competitive differentiation outside of interface elements.
"Even in the EU and Japan, where Apple is now required to allow browser vendors to use their own engines, the barriers it has put in place ensure browser vendors are prevented from porting their own engines to iOS. Given that Apple has now had more than two years to produce a compliant solution, the European Commission needs to open a specification proceeding to instruct Apple, in precise terms, how these barriers must be removed."
While I still don't fully understand what it means by "engines," that certainly explains why it takes fucking forever for webpages to load on my phone.
Thank you for providing more info!
Yep, thats one reason why i went to e/OS. Never went back.
e/os here. A few months in on a Fairphone. Very happy so far
Im using it on the Teracube 2s (2025). Kinda laggy phone but very decent.
What the fuck? How is that legal.
It’s not…in the EU. So they lift the restriction there and there only. It’s clearly not a technical limitation, just greed.
Agreed to it in the EULA (most likely)
How have we allowed this. Theres no going back ever. Welcome to dystopia.
For gOS just get a pixel second hand. Orthe new motorla rip off.
The new pixel is a downgrade from the 10. 7 and upare perfectly modern and capable for what anyone wans that isnt an AI tech brat.
I was looking at the 8 tbh
Ideal
This isn’t required under Australian law, Apple can fuck right off.
Yeah these guys are overcomplying and promoting censorship. Never seen a big tech company take this stance. Fuck them. Post Covid big tech is shady as.
All Apple had to do was age verify their App Store. And on that they had the nerve to force it a month before quietly releasing a on device facial age estimation option rather than just rely on id or credit card. Forcing many to use id/credit card when esafety would have been lenient enough to wait.
Post Covid big tech is shady as.
what? since the 1990s at least.
Big tech has always been shady. Lockdowns just provided an easy powergrab and the means yo take the power without having to hide it.
That's why people need to be against censorship, in principle. If people's only objection is that it 'isn't implemented correctly', people will just try and they again to implement it "correctly". We need to squash it down from the start.
Censorship just hurts marginalised youth, especially trans youth since HRT is so age sensitive. And you cannot trust parents to safeguard their kids, no, just because you gave birth to someone does not mean you know what's best for them, crazy ik
I got this same page when trying to connect to a WiFi hotspot (In the UK). Now I’m planning a migration plan for the family away from iOS.
Most people won’t care but for me this is where it crosses a line.
Yeah… this is the first time I've felt like someone reached into my device and said "no, fuck you." No tricks or traps work, because it's operating system level bullshit.
The thing I paid like $1600AUD for a few years ago is no longer my property; the terms have been changed retroactively. It makes me quite angry, actually.
It never was your property. Which is why I don't use devices with proprietary OS.
Toss that shit out the window!
The only people who can control any apple device are the people working the back end of Apple's ecosystem
Did you know they already did that in the UK?...even though they weren't obligated to.
You can't VPN to the UK, Australia or any of the EU countries anymore because of this crap. And in case anyone hasn't figured it out yet, it's not about protecting kids from anything. It's about unmasking everyone online and the next step will be digital ID and CBDC