From c8fe137ce52f8f107c76ab10640c8d65acb621fb Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: JustZvan Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:17:16 +0100 Subject: feat: rant on age verification --- content/posts/age verification.md | 47 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 47 insertions(+) create mode 100644 content/posts/age verification.md diff --git a/content/posts/age verification.md b/content/posts/age verification.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..42bd0e4 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/posts/age verification.md @@ -0,0 +1,47 @@ +--- +title: 'age verification' +date: 2026-03-25 +subtitle: 'i was born on the first of january 5000 1 BC' +--- + +*I am not a lawyer and this article references some bills. When I reference these bills I am talking about my own interpretation which may or may not be correct. None of this is legal advice.* + +Age verification is the process of checking a users' age via means of ID verification or AI face scans. + +This is just bad. For NSFW sites? I mean my perfect solution would be to ban them in general but age verification is the path governments have went. + +Laws like the UK Online Safety Act require age verification for accessing NSFW sites. This is, however, a weaker example. + +In Australia a new law passed banning all teenagers under the age of 16 from accessing social media. This is in my opinion fine but the way it's being enforced is by age verification. + +**This is the death of the anonymous internet.** + +The UK is trying to outlaw VPNs and under 16 social media bans requiring age verification are spreading (France and Spain). + +"I think we should kill anonymity because lots of cyberbullying happens on the internet" - some person probably + +Okay, kind of a fair point? But the worst thing: IDs are being sent over the Internet to some server to be scanned. And what would happen if one of those servers/platforms were hacked? + +## THE DISCORD ZENDESK HACK + +Discord's Zendesk support platform has been hacked a while ago. This exposed all chats with support. + +NOTE: Zendesk is NOT an ID processor but a support platform that was used by Discord if their ID processor failed + +When the Zendesk was hacked the hacker obtained EVERY. SINGLE. SUPPORT CHAT. from it. + +These included IDs of MINORS AND ADULTS. + +If these IDs leaked you would have issues like extortion for the victims of the breach. + +And issue #2: people can use these leaked IDs to commit identity theft and even verify accounts which kinda makes age verification useless. + +## OPERATING SYSTEMS?? ARE WE BEING FOR REAL?? + +In some places "operating system providers" need to ask for users' age and provide an API for apps to be able to get the age or age group depending on the state. + +Again, I am not a lawyer, this is just my interpretation of the bills and not legal advice. + +Projects like systemd are now adding APIs to get birth dates. Again, dump systemd for any other init system. Check out [my article on systemd](/posts/systemd-be-gone/) for more about systemd being a dumpster fire. + +This is NOT age verification as it doesn't require ID proof or facial scans and it's just the user entering their birth date but it's still stupid. -- cgit v1.2.3