“Governments should halt plans to roll out age checks on online services until privacy and security concerns are addressed, hundreds of academics said today” https://alecmuffett.com/article/147820 #AgeVerification #censorship #surveillance

“Governments should halt plans...

Age verification, what's your take on it?

https://itsfoss.com/news/our-take-on-age-verification/

#privacy #ageverification

Apple's age verification tools have rolled out worldwide, but what exactly does that mean? #Apple #AgeVerification #privacy #IdentityVerification #AgeGate #iPhone #iOS #Mac

According to @fight@mastodon.fightforthefuture.org :

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is expected to a full committee markup on the package of "child safety" bills they discussed back in December this week (KOSA, App Store Accountability Act, SCREEN Act, etc.).

This will bring us that much closer to an extremely censored internet that will not keep kids safe. It's mass surveillance and censorship.

Please call your Senators and Representatives ASAP!

#Privacy #Censorship #FreeSpeech #DigitalRights #Internet #SocialMedia #AgeVerification #KOSA #KidsOnlineSafetyAct #US #UnitedStates

age verification - aka id verification at the OS level?

that's what US lawmakers are proposing...

https://www.osnews.com/story/144501/us-lawmakers-push-for-age-verification-at-the-operating-system-level/

#ageverification #privacy #surveillance #security

Due to the massive wave of backlash, Discord is postponing its global #AgeVerification until the second half of 2026.

Public backlash works, good job everyone. 👏

🚨But: Discord has not stopped its plan, just put it on hold.

👉 Learn here what's next & how to protect your #identity: https://tuta.com/blog/discord-plans-age-verification-globally

#IDcheck #anonymity #privacy

Alt...

Discord age verification for everyone? Image with Discord logo and ID check on phone

ICYMI: FTC gives age verification tech a COPPA enforcement shield: FTC's February 25, 2026 COPPA policy statement shields platforms collecting kids' data for age verification from enforcement - what it means for digital advertising. https://ppc.land/ftc-gives-age-verification-tech-a-coppa-enforcement-shield/ #FTC #AgeVerification #COPPA #DigitalAdvertising #PrivacyProtection

Hackers Expose The Massive Surveillance Stack Hiding Inside Your “Age Verification” Check

https://www.techdirt.com/2026/02/25/hackers-expose-the-massive-surveillance-stack-hiding-inside-your-age-verification-check/

‚Mandatory age verification creates massive, centralized honeypots of sensitive biometric data that will inevitably be breached. Every single time. And every single time it happens, the politicians who mandated these systems and the companies that built them act shocked—shocked!—that collecting enormous databases of government IDs, facial scans, and biometric data from millions of people turns out to be a security nightmare....‘

#Surveillance #AgeVerification #Privacy #Data #technology #AI #KI

We must fight age verification with all we have

#AgeVerification laws exploit the moral panic over social media and mental health to repackage old censorship tactics under the guise of protecting children.

'I’ve been talking a lot over the past couple weeks about what an unmitigated disaster the rollout of identity verification has been in the U.K. I wrote a whole piece about it for The Guardian and a story about how these “child safety” crackdowns are a gift to big tech in Zeteo.

The UK’s rollout shows how #digitalID systems lead to mass censorship. They serve those in power, harm human rights, and we have to do everything we can to fight their expansion in the U.S.

Today, I’m excited to present a guest post by Cynthia Conti-Cook, Rebecca Williams, and Pratika Katiya. These three women are doing incredible work fighting back against the surveillance state....'

https://www.usermag.co/p/we-must-fight-age-verification-with

#Tech #Technology #AI #UK #EU #Surveillance #Privacy #Data

Discord's age verification rollout has ties to Palantir co-founder and panopticon architect Peter Thiel

Discord is "experimenting" with an age authentication vendor whosez major investors include Thiel's Founders Fund.

‚Last week, #Discord invited the contempt of its users by announcing it will be rolling out global #ageverification restrictions in March, which will restrict viewable content and communities for users who don't scan either their faces or government IDs and haven't already been determined to be an adult by unspecified prediction algorithms. Approximately nobody thought this was cool.…‘

https://www.pcgamer.com/software/platforms/oh-good-discords-age-verification-rollout-has-ties-to-palantir-co-founder-and-panopticon-architect-peter-thiel/

About the Age Verification bills in California and Colorado:

It seems few people are actually bothering to read the bills and instead just want to scream while running around in circles. Neither of the bills are mandating you give your ID/Face-Scan/Transactional Documents/etc. to be able to setup your computer.

The only thing you give is your birth-date/age, you are assigned an age-category, and apps and websites respond accordingly.

Don't get me wrong, there are still valid concerns about these bills, but few are actually discussing those concerns. Most are just assuming the worst and panicking.

Also, I don't know how these bills would be enforceable on Linux (or any decentralized, FOSS ecosystem).

#Privacy #FreeSpeech #Censorship #DigitalRights #Internet #AgeVerification #US #UnitedStates #California #Colorado

“Child safety is vital, but giving ministers sweeping powers to make communication conditional on digital ID is a profound and risky expansion of state control.”

🗣️ ORG’s James Baker on new Henry VIII powers to extend age verification across any part of the Internet without going through the UK Parliament.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2516996-banning-children-from-vpns-and-social-media-will-erode-adults-privacy/

#ageverification #vpn #ukpolitics #ukpol #privacy

Open source calculator firmware DB48X forbids CA/CO use due to age verification

https://github.com/c3d/db48x/commit/7819972b641ac808d46c54d3f5d1df70d706d286

#HackerNews #OpenSource #Firmware #AgeVerification #Calculator #DB48X

The #AgeVerification Trap: Verifying user’s ages undermines everyone’s #DataProtection

”#AgeRestriction laws are not just about kids and screens. They are reshaping how #identity, #privacy, and #access work on the Internet for everyone.

The age-verification trap is not a glitch. It is what you get when regulators treat age enforcement as mandatory and privacy as optional.”

https://spectrum.ieee.org/age-verification

Age walls could be erected at the UK government's whim.

New Henry VIII powers would give Ministers the ability to impose age verification way beyond social media.

We'll have to surrender our ID to unregulated providers to access information and services. It only makes Big Tech more powerful – data is their lifeblood.

We must stand up for #privacy! It starts with protecting VPNs.

Sign our petition ➡️ https://action.openrightsgroup.org/tell-government-protect-vpn-use-uk

https://peertube.openrightsgroup.org/w/87PRaAiX1qKCMSk3RRLPYZ

#vpn #ageverification #ukpolitics #ukpol

I'd like to think the damage is already done, but I know that some people are settling back down now that this news is out.

Discord delay global rollout of age verification to improve transparency and add more options

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2026/02/discord-delay-global-rollout-of-age-verification-to-improve-transparency-and-add-more-options/

#Discord #AgeVerification #Transparency #Privacy #Security #Surveillance #AI #Tech #Gaming

Apple is bringing age verification to the U.K. The latest iOS 26.4 beta prompts users to verify that they are over 18, and if they don't confirm their age, they will not be able to download and purchase apps or make in-app purchases. Here's more from @theverge.

https://flip.it/C7yOwH

#Technology #Tech #Apple #AgeVerification

Age verification laws force platforms to collect IDs, biometrics or behavioral data, directly conflicting with data minimization principles. 🔍

Recurring checks and stored proof for regulators create breach-prone archives, exposing everyone—not just minors—to surveillance risks. 🔒

🔗 https://spectrum.ieee.org/age-verification

#TechNews #Privacy #Security #Surveillance #DataProtection #DigitalRights #BigTech #AI #Biometrics #KidsOnline #Profiling #Cybersecurity #EU #USA #AgeVerification #Law #Biometrics

Colorado’s SB26-051 would make OSes (Windows, Android, iOS, Linux) collect an “age signal” at setup and expose it via API to every app in broad age brackets 📊

Even if “minimal data” is promised, normalising OS‑level age tagging for all apps raises serious long‑term risks for privacy and user autonomy 🔒

🔗 https://itsfoss.com/news/colorado-age-attestation-bill/

#TechNews #Privacy #Security #Surveillance #DataProtection #DigitalRights #BigTech #AI #KidsOnline #AgeVerification #Profiling #Cybersecurity #US #USA #Colorado #Linux

EU’s Chat Control law is in the final stretch: countries dropped plans for mandatory mass scanning and explicit encryption backdoors, but “voluntary” scanning and broad risk rules remain on the table 📡

Age checks could tie private chats to IDs or face data, sidelining anonymous, secure communication for many people 🔒

@edri

🔗 https://edri.org/our-work/chat-control-is-in-the-final-stretch-but-it-could-be-a-marathon-not-a-sprint/

#TechNews #Privacy #Security #Encryption #Surveillance #AgeVerification #EU #Europe #BigTech #AI #DataProtection #HumanRights #Freedom #Internet

Discord Cuts Ties With Persona, Delays Global Age Verification

A second security incident has apparently prompted Discord to start rethinking their age verification strategy.

https://www.freezenet.ca/discord-cuts-ties-with-persona-delays-global-age-verification/

#Censorship #News #Privacy #Security #AgeVerification #DataLeak #Discord #Persona

YES! This is AMAZING! 🎉

Keep pushing against abusive practices, and keep fighting for your privacy rights!

IT WORKS! ✊🔒

https://9to5mac.com/2026/02/24/discord-just-canceled-its-planned-age-verification-rollout-for-now/

Edit: Just to be clear, I still encourage everyone to move to better platforms and delete your Discord accounts (even if there was no age verification at all). Discord isn't a privacy-respectful platform.

But this small victory means we should keep pushing for better privacy practices, everywhere.

This means they are listening. This means you have the power to make things better, for yourself and for others.

Celebrate that. And keep pushing back.

#Privacy #AgeVerification #Discord #PrivacyWin

The Age-Verification Trap — Verifying user’s ages undermines everyone’s data protection

Social media is going the way of alcohol, gambling, and other social sins: Societies are deciding it’s no longer kid stuff. Lawmakers point to compulsive use, exposure to harmful content, and mounting concerns about adolescent mental health. So, many propose to set a minimum age, usually 13 or 16.

🕵️ https://spectrum.ieee.org/age-verification

#ageverification #socialmedia #security #trap #dataprotection #privacy #youth

Is #AgeVerification a Trap? - IEEE Spectrum

Verifying user’s ages undermines everyone’s data protection
#privacy #security

https://spectrum.ieee.org/age-verification

Wisconsin Drops VPN Ban Provisions in Age Verification Bill

It looks like Wisconsin has dropped their efforts to implement a VPN ban in their age verification legislation.

https://www.freezenet.ca/wisconsin-drops-vpn-ban-provisions-in-age-verification-bill/

#Censorship #News #Privacy #Security #AgeVerification #legislation #US #VPN #Wisconsin

New Privacy Guides video 🎞️🪪
by @jw:

Age Verification represents an incredible threat to our privacy.

Not only Age Verification doesn't protect the children, but this could mean the end of protective pseudonymity for everyone if implemented widely.

Watch this excellent video created by Jordan here on PeerTube (based on my article on the same topic): https://neat.tube/w/aR4toTWJpcBZamUdQQpGRu

#PrivacyGuides #Privacy #AgeVerification #DataMinimization #Pseudonymity #PeerTube

Discord's age verification rollout has ties to Palantir co-founder and panopticon architect Peter Thiel

The company has informed some users in the UK they may be part of "an experiment" with Persona, an age verification vendor whose investors include Peter Thiel, co-founder of ICE's premier surveillance provider, Palantir.

#Discord #ageverification #surveillance #privacy #palantir #ice #peterthiel #socialmedia #technology #tech

https://www.pcgamer.com/software/platforms/oh-good-discords-age-verification-rollout-has-ties-to-palantir-co-founder-and-panopticon-architect-peter-thiel/

The Age Verification Trap: Verifying age undermines everyone's data protection (ieee.org)

https://spectrum.ieee.org/age-verification

#privacy #data #ageverification #surveillance

Cyber security authorities, including the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, advocate the use of VPNs to enhance online safety.

“Implementing age verification for VPNs could undermine their privacy benefits and pose challenges for legitimate users, including young individuals seeking online privacy and security. We risk trading one risk posed to young people for another.”

🗣️ @JamesBaker for ORG.

https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366639234/Businesses-may-be-caught-by-government-proposals-to-restrict-VPN-use

#vpn #privacy #security #ageverification #ukpolitics #ukpol

The Age Verification Trap, Verifying age undermines everyone's data protection

https://spectrum.ieee.org/age-verification

#HackerNews #AgeVerification #DataProtection #PrivacyOnline #DigitalRights #Cybersecurity

The #Uk government is trying to place age verification on all user-user platforms.

Can you sign this petition I created: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/762236/sponsors/new?token=XBUJNuzxL8JoS1JcFqns

We need 5 people to sign it to get the petition published.

#ukpol
#privacy
#onlinesafetyact
@openrightsgroup
#ageverification
#AgeVerificationPolicy
#ageverificationandagegating

And that's why we say NO to #AgeVerification

👉 Check the status in your country & whether you need to contact your lawmakers: https://tuta.com/blog/age-verification-kills-anonymity

Alt...

No to Digital ID posted world map indicating leaks per country: BREAKING: ID age verification just had its biggest data leak yet, even bigger than Persona's. An unsecured database linked to IDMerit exposed ONE BILLION personal records across 26 countries. Age verification was always about one thing: violating your privacy. Source: Cybernews

Discord and Persona part ways after UK age-check controversy sparks outcry. 🧑‍💻 Privacy concerns mount over data handling and age-verification plans, as Discord emphasizes rapid data deletion and vendor updates. 🔒🗣️ #Privacy #TechNews #Discord #AgeVerification https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/02/discord-and-persona-end-partnership-after-shady-uk-age-test-sparks-outcry/

#Newz

#FckDiscord 😁

Age Verification isn't a technical problem to solve. If you think that, you're missing the point.

It's a social problem used by authoritarian governments as an excuse for population control and censorship.

It's a fundamental attack on free speech and democracy.

It must not be accommodated.
It must be stopped.

#MassSurveillance #AgeVerification #Privacy #Democracy #HumanRights