EFF warns that age verification laws, ostensibly designed to restrict access to adult content, pose a serious threat to online privacy. While initially targeting pornography sites, these laws are expanding to encompass broader online activities, such as accessing skincare products, potentially requiring users to upload government IDs to third-party verification services. This creates a massive database of sensitive personal information vulnerable to breaches, government surveillance, and misuse by private companies, effectively turning age verification into a backdoor for widespread online monitoring. The EFF argues that these laws are overbroad, ineffective at their stated goals, and disproportionately harm marginalized communities.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) expresses grave concerns in their post, "First Porn, Now Skin Cream? Age Verification Bills Are Out of Control," regarding the escalating proliferation of online age verification laws. These laws, ostensibly designed to protect minors from accessing harmful content or purchasing restricted products like pornography or tobacco, are, according to the EFF, rapidly expanding in scope and becoming dangerously overbroad. What began with a focus on explicitly adult material is now, alarmingly, encompassing a much wider range of online activities and products, including, as the title highlights, even skincare products containing retinoids.
The EFF argues that these well-intentioned laws are, in actuality, a Trojan horse for widespread online surveillance. By mandating age verification, these laws necessitate the collection and, potentially, retention of sensitive personal information, creating a honeypot for data breaches and identity theft. The post details how these verification systems can range from simple self-declarations of age, which are easily circumvented, to more intrusive methods requiring government-issued identification, creating a digital identification infrastructure that poses a significant threat to privacy.
The EFF meticulously outlines the potential chilling effects of such widespread age verification requirements. They contend that the necessity to provide personal information will discourage individuals from accessing information and engaging in online discourse, particularly on sensitive topics, for fear of surveillance and potential repercussions. This chilling effect, they argue, undermines the very foundations of a free and open internet, hindering free expression and access to information.
Moreover, the EFF raises concerns about the disproportionate impact of these laws on marginalized communities. They highlight the potential for discriminatory enforcement and the added burden placed on individuals who may lack readily accessible forms of identification or face systemic barriers to obtaining them. Furthermore, the post emphasizes the potential for abuse of these systems by governments and corporations, who could exploit the collected data for purposes beyond age verification, further eroding individual privacy and autonomy.
In conclusion, the EFF characterizes these age verification laws not as a solution to protecting minors, but rather as a dangerous overreach with far-reaching implications for online privacy and freedom of expression. They argue that the purported benefits of these laws are significantly outweighed by the substantial risks they pose to individual rights and the open internet, urging readers to recognize the insidious nature of these seemingly innocuous regulations and resist their expansion. The EFF paints a picture of a future where navigating the internet requires constant surveillance and the surrender of personal information, a future antithetical to the principles of a free and open society.
Summary of Comments ( 220 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43292820
HN commenters express concerns about the slippery slope of age verification laws, starting with porn and potentially expanding to other online content and even everyday purchases. They argue that these laws normalize widespread surveillance and data collection, creating honeypots for hackers and potentially enabling government abuse. Several highlight the ineffectiveness of age gates, pointing to easy bypass methods and the likelihood of children accessing restricted content through other means. The chilling effect on free speech and the potential for discriminatory enforcement are also raised, with some commenters drawing parallels to authoritarian regimes. Some suggest focusing on better education and parental controls rather than restrictive legislation. The technical feasibility and privacy implications of various verification methods are debated, with skepticism towards relying on government IDs or private companies.
The Hacker News post "Age Verification Laws: A Backdoor to Surveillance," linking to an EFF article about age verification requirements for online pornography and even skin cream, sparked a lively discussion with numerous comments. Several key themes and compelling arguments emerged.
A significant number of commenters expressed deep concerns about the privacy implications of age verification systems. They argued that requiring users to submit identification to access certain websites creates a massive database of sensitive personal information vulnerable to breaches, abuse by government agencies, and exploitation by malicious actors. Some highlighted the potential for this data to be used for blackmail, harassment, or even persecution based on browsing history. The chilling effect on free speech and access to information was also mentioned, as users might self-censor their online activities knowing they are being tracked.
Several commenters drew parallels to other forms of online surveillance and censorship, arguing that age verification requirements are just another step towards a more controlled and monitored internet. Some saw this as a slippery slope, fearing that these requirements could eventually expand to encompass a wider range of online content and services.
There was debate about the effectiveness of age verification in actually protecting children. Some commenters were skeptical that these measures would be successful in preventing minors from accessing restricted content, suggesting that tech-savvy children would find ways to circumvent the restrictions. They argued that the focus should be on education and parental controls rather than blanket surveillance.
The technical aspects of age verification systems were also discussed. Commenters raised concerns about the security and reliability of these systems, questioning the ability of companies to properly store and protect user data. The potential for false positives and the difficulties faced by individuals who lack government-issued identification were also highlighted.
A few commenters offered alternative solutions, such as utilizing privacy-preserving technologies like zero-knowledge proofs or decentralized identity systems. Others suggested focusing on content filtering and empowering users with more control over their online experience.
Finally, some comments touched upon the potential legal challenges to age verification laws, with some expressing hope that these measures would be challenged on constitutional grounds.
Overall, the comments on Hacker News reflected a widespread apprehension about the potential consequences of age verification laws, with many expressing concerns about privacy, security, and the erosion of online freedoms. The discussion highlighted the complex trade-offs involved in balancing the protection of children with the preservation of individual privacy and freedom of expression.