Age verification for social media, the beginning of the end for a free internet?
Article URL: https://mullvad.net/en/blog/age-verification-for-social-media-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-a-free-internet Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48363882 Points: 207 # Comments: 107
Governments are increasingly responding to public pressure regarding online safety, particularly concerning minors, alongside a growing geopolitical interest in digital sovereignty.
Age verification could fundamentally alter the architecture and access models of the internet, impacting privacy, free speech, and the business models of large tech platforms.
The internet, particularly social media, would transition from an open, largely anonymous access model to one requiring verifiable personal identification, potentially fragmenting global access and content.
- · Identity verification service providers
- · Governments with stronger digital control
- · Traditional media platforms
- · Age-gated content providers
- · Anonymous internet users
- · Open internet advocates
- · Global social media platforms
- · Small content creators
Mandatory age verification would lead to the implementation of widespread identity verification technologies across major online platforms.
This shift could accelerate the fragmentation of the internet, creating regional or 'gated' online experiences based on national identity systems.
Increased state control over online identity could pave the way for more sophisticated digital surveillance and population management systems, potentially eroding civil liberties further.
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