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1059

Age checks could turn internet into an ID checkpoint and would kill anonymity, Proton CEO says (proton.me)

submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by Deep@mander.xyz to c/technology@lemmy.world

229 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Online threats to children are real, but the headlong pursuit of age verification that we’re seeing around the world is unacceptable in its approach and far too broad in scope — and we simply can’t afford to get this wrong.

To be clear, parents’ concerns are valid and sincere. Few people would argue that kids should have unfettered access to adult material, to self-harm how-tos, to social media platforms that manipulate them and expose them to abuse.

But it’s the very depth of those worries that is being cynically exploited. Age verification as is currently being proposed in country after country would mean the death of anonymity online.

And we know exactly who stands to gain: The same tech giants who built the privacy nightmare that the internet is today.

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[–] Lucidlethargy@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 months ago (1 children)

"invest in crypto" Also Proton. Fuck Proton.

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[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca -1 points 2 months ago

"Veah ahh yo pay puz?"

[–] karlmarxwasright@hilariouschaos.com -3 points 2 months ago

thanks democrats

[–] MortUS@lemmy.world -4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (4 children)

Nobody has better solutions to fight against botnets and targeted misinformation. Like, these are big deals that every Nation needs account for some way some how. A non-anonymous internet for the masses, and anonymous internet for those who know how to get around it should be the standard.

To boil it down further - this is a individual vs collectivism. YOU want privacy and anonymity because, being on lemmy, you have a higher chance of being more technically literate and inclined. The vast majority are not so inclined and are at a disadvantage.

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[–] TheUniverseandNetworks@lemmy.world -4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Surely it's the death of anonymity for those who want to access stuff which would be age restricted in any other scenario (like a real shop). The rest of the population (most?) don't care to access that stuff & don't want it and can carry on being anonymous.

And yes that gives the likes of Facebook et al a problem because they'll have to categorise their content, but the whole point of this current fad for governments to legislate to restrict stuff is that the big tech companies could have (made efforts to) fix it but chose not to because it's (waves hands and wails) hard.

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[+] ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net -50 points 2 months ago (44 children)

I'm fine with that.

[+] arsCynic@piefed.social -10 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (8 children)

I’m fine with that.

When done correctly, and someone's ID remains anonymous from the general public if they wish so, then I'd also be fine with that. Way too many trolls and other forms of bad actors on the Web who intentionally or unintentionally use ad hominems or other toxic communication, it's so hopelessly divisive and draining.

I recently saw a documentary about looksmaxxing. The forums these kids peruse echo the deepest pits of hell; insisting on suicide and all the forms of psychological bullying one cannot even imagine.

Whether it's the best solution I don't know, it's probably not. But from my point of view, taking away the anonymity from the authorities would significantly lower the amount of depravity on the Web. The crux in this whole matter is of course that the authorities are virtuous, fair, just. If they are not, which all too often is the case, then removing anonymity can be an equally dangerous thing as well.

Obviously everything boils down to education, which needs a complete overhaul. But that's something that will take decades if not a century to turn humanity into a predominantly virtuous species.

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