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Comment by IanCal

3 days ago

What you’re describing is infrastructure that doesn’t necessarily exist right now for use online, and has all the privacy problems described. Why should I have to share more than required?

it has none of the privacy problems described, and 95% of the infrastructure exists right now (have you ever purchased smokes or alcohol?)

to go on tiktok, you enter a UUID once onto your account, and thats it. the only person that sees your id card is the store clerk that glances at the birth date and says "yep, over 18" when you are buying the "age token" or whatever you want to call it. no copies of your id are made, it cant be hacked, theres no electronics involved at all. its just like buying smokes. theres no tie between your id and the "age token" UUID you received.

theres no fanciness to it, either. itd be dead simple, low-tech, cheap to implement, quick to roll out. all of the enforcement laws already exist.

>Why should I have to share more than required?

you shouldnt. having to prove age to use the internet is super dumb. but thats the way the winds are blowing apparently. if im gonna have to prove my age to use the internet, id much rather show my id to the same guy i buy smokes from (and already show my id to) than upload my id to a bunch of random services.

  • The problem with this scheme is that it's exactly as protective as requiring someone to tick a "I'm of legal age" tickbox in the software they wish to access. Anyone who is of legal age can buy UUIDs and pass them around to folks who are not.

    Having said that, I think having an "I'm of legal age" tickbox goes quite far enough.

    For the ultra-controlling, setting up a "kid's account" using the tools already provided in mainstream OS's [0][1] is a fine option.

    [0] <https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/family-safety>

    [1] <https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/set-up-content-and-...>

    • >The problem with this scheme is that it's exactly as protective as requiring someone to tick a "I'm of legal age" tickbox in the software they wish to access.

      no, it is exactly as protective as the protections for purchasing alcohol or buying smokes or other controlled substances/products.

      buying smokes/alcohol when underage is obviously harder than "click this box". (did you ever try to buy smokes/alcohol when underage? you cant just go up to the clerk at the store when you are 14 and say "trust me bro, im 18/19/21".)

      >Anyone who is of legal age can buy UUIDs and pass them around to folks who are not.

      same for smoking and alcohol. i could go to the store right now and buy smokes, then hand them to my 10 year old.

      we have laws already in place to punish selling smokes/alcohol to underagers, and laws for consuming smokes/alcohol when underage. we can apply those laws to your internet-age-token.

      most people seem fine with the current trade-off for smokes/alcohol. i see no reason why tiktok needs to be treated as more dangerous than either.

      >Having said that, I think having an "I'm of legal age" tickbox goes quite far enough.

      i agree with this and everything you said afterwards. id rather not have any of it.

      18 replies →

  • Sorry I'd misunderstood I thought you were describing infrastructure that already exists and making a comparison to just using your ID.