Technology

Decent article. Governments, neglecting regulation of platform design and provision of digital literacy programs, uphold conditions in which problems can only be exacerbated: legitimizing studies, often financed by interest groups, providing unnuanced headline statistics, which increase the likelihood of citation by sensationalist mass media; ultimately manufacturing consensus on increased government control, among the largely digitally illiterate public.

Given that platforms, like Facebook and YouTube, have been experimenting with both identity and age verification, well before being obligated to, suggests a self-serving interest in, or at least anticipation for these technically challenging regulations. Like the article, I fear minors to migrate to alt-tech platforms instead; leading governments to indiscriminatory mandate the same for these, for which they do not have the resources to comply: killing big-tech's (future) competitors.

I'm of the opinion that in an alarmingly digitized society, intensified during the COVID pandemic, minors should also be able to participate in it. And if we've established, minors can no longer responsibly coexist alongside adults on the internet, perhaps we should create a (hardware) platform specifically for minors. Have children identify themselves to prove they're young enough to enter, rather than having to prove the contrary: requiring EVERY internet user, to supply additional personally identifiable information.

Although there's unmistakably reason for concern, I'd argue if we continue this trend long enough, we'll end up with an effective safety-tyranny.

By enforcing a blanket restriction, the policy infantilises and homogenises young people, setting a precedent for future exclusionary policies, such as raising the legal age to vote or obtain a driver’s licence.

so? blanket restrictions on young people is already a thing for alcohol, cigarettes, and other dangerous substances. This is not a slippery slope to voting rights or driving privileges.