Tag

Age Verification

All articles tagged with #age verification

technology23 days ago•16 min saved

OS-Level Age Checks Could Shape Your Next Computer Experience

States are moving age checks from websites to the operating system, with California’s AB 1043 taking effect in 2027 and Colorado’s SB 26-051 in 2028, while federal proposals like the Parents Decide Act loom. OSs would prompt for age at setup and share an age range with apps via APIs, a shift that privacy advocates say could invite more invasive verification and erode anonymity. Open-source projects fear compliance and potential loss of privacy, even as lawmakers discuss exemptions for Linux; observers warn the policy could redefine how we prove age online and who can access content.

via PCMag|

#age-verification #california-ab1043 #open-source

technology24 days ago•33 min saved

SCREEN Act Could Erase Online Anonymity Across the Web

The SCREEN Act would require nearly any online service that hosts even a single piece of sexually explicit content to verify users’ ages via real-identity processes, threatening widespread loss of anonymity and privacy. It would affect platforms beyond adult sites—including streaming and social networks—by mandating age checks tied to personal data, while weakening protections on how long such data can be kept. The bill also targets VPNs by requiring verification based on IP addresses, potentially chilling legitimate privacy protections and journalists’ and activists’ security. The piece argues these provisions create a privacy and security nightmare and urges opposition to safeguard lawful speech and user privacy.

via Electronic Frontier Foundation|

#age-verification #data-security #digital-rights

technology24 days ago•3 min saved

Australian teens sidestep under-16 social media ban after three months

A regulator report shows more than 80% of Australian teens under 16 remain online three months after the ban, with platforms' weak age checks allowing many to retain or create accounts; daily use barely declined and parental awareness waned, prompting the government to defend the policy as a public health measure despite widespread circumvention.

via Al Jazeera|

#age-verification #australia #esafety

technology26 days ago•10 min saved

Google expands privacy-friendly age checks to the Play Store with Age Signals API

Google is rolling out the Play Age Signals API globally to let developers request age ranges for child accounts via Family Link, offering a privacy-preserving way to verify ages without ID or selfies. The system is opt-in for parents, can be used to tailor app experiences by age, and is designed to help meet store-level age restrictions. It began as a beta in Brazil, with Australia and Canada next and the US planned by the end of 2026. It won’t completely block underage access, and its effectiveness depends on developer adoption and user participation in sharing age data.

via Ars Technica|

#age-signals-api #age-verification #family-link

politics1 month ago•185 min saved

Supreme Court Grants Texas a temporary green light for app age checks

The Supreme Court, in an emergency ruling, allowed Texas to enforce its age-verification law for mobile apps pending litigation, giving the state a temporary path to require app stores to verify minors’ ages and obtain parental consent; the decision contains no explained reasoning and leaves the merits for later, with opposition from Apple, Google and advocates who warn the measure could curb access to content and restrict digital speech.

via CNN|

#age-verification #apps #first-amendment

technology1 month ago•3 min saved

Supreme Court lets Texas app-store age-verification law stand during challenge

The Supreme Court declined to block Texas's App Store Accountability Act, allowing the state to enforce its age-verification and parental-consent requirements for app purchases as litigation continues; the law is backed by 27 state attorneys general, while opponents including SEAT and CCIA argue it restricts access to free-speech tools and raises First Amendment concerns.

via Politico|

#age-verification #app-stores #first-amendment

world1 month ago•7 min saved

Australia's youth social-media ban stalls amid lax enforcement, study finds

A BMJ study of 408 NSW adolescents (ages 12–17) found the under-16 ban on platforms like TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat did not produce an immediate drop in use; most youths continued using their own accounts, with many bypassing age checks via self-declared ages and even selfies in some cases. The researchers caution that weak enforcement and easy circumvention complicate conclusions about policy effectiveness and call for refinement and better implementation.

via Boing Boing|

#age-verification #australia #policy-implementation

policy1 month ago•1 min saved

Australia Tightens Penalties for Platforms Violating Social Media Age Ban

Australia will double the maximum penalty for breaches of the social media minimum age law to 99 million dollars and give the eSafety Commissioner power to compel platforms to show what steps they have taken to comply with the ban on under-16 users; despite the ban on 10 major platforms since December 2025, enforcement remains difficult, with investigations into Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube and many youths reportedly still able to access banned apps.

via BBC|

#age-verification #australia #esafety

technology1 month ago•2 min saved

Australia tightens Big Tech crackdown as under-16 social media ban evasion rises

Australia will double the penalties for social media platforms that fail to keep under-16s off their services, increasing the maximum fine from 49.5 million to 99 million AUD and granting the eSafety Commissioner stronger enforcement powers. The government cites ongoing evasion via older accounts, fake profiles, and private browsers, and is targeting Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. Critics say evidence on the ban’s effectiveness is mixed, while regulators insist platforms must take reasonable steps, including age checks and possible government ID verification, to protect minors.

via Al Jazeera|

#age-verification #australia #big-tech

world2 months ago•42 min saved

UK Online ID push could bar teens; privacy groups warn

Britain is considering a law to require online age verification, effectively banning under-16s from social media and forcing adults to show ID for many online services. Privacy advocates, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), warn the plan would create a centralized data-tracking system and may be ineffective, noting teens can bypass it with fake IDs or VPNs and that it could restrict access to educational and community content online.

via Hackaday|

#age-verification #digital-identity #eff

technology2 months ago•6 min saved

Britain’s Under-16 Social Media Ban: How Will It Be Enforced?

Britain announced an Australia-style ban on social media for under-16s, with potential extra curbs for older teens and a night-time limit, aiming for spring 2027. The big question is how it will be enforced: will device gates via Apple/Google or platform-by-platform controls (TikTok, Snapchat, etc.) prevail, leaving little time to sort out verification? Experts warn a blunt ban may not solve online harms and could push teens toward riskier corners of the web, while legal and political challenges loom as tech firms weigh their compliance and the U.K. weighs its economic and regulatory stance.

via BBC|

#age-verification #platform-regulation #social-media-ban

technology2 months ago•10 min saved

UK to bar under-16s from major social networks by 2027

Britain’s government announced a plan to ban under-16s from accessing major social media platforms (TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, X) with the ban coming into force in spring 2027. The proposal includes age-verification for some users over 16 and feature restrictions for younger users; WhatsApp, Signal and Roblox would not be banned, and YouTube Kids remains exempt. The plan follows a public consultation and has drawn mixed reactions from platforms, safety advocates and lawmakers, with a full platform list and specifics to be released later.

via BBC|

#age-verification #online-safety #social-media-ban

technology2 months ago•38 min saved

UK to block under-16s from social media by spring 2027 with age checks

Britain’s Labour government unveiled a plan to ban under-16s from social media by spring 2027, backed by age‑verification measures. The ban would cover major platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X, while WhatsApp and Signal would remain unaffected and YouTube Kids would continue for under‑16s. Roblox would see restrictions rather than a blanket ban. While pitched as protecting young people, officials acknowledge enforcement challenges and potential VPN workarounds, and critics warn the policy isn’t a silver bullet and could have broader social impacts.

via BBC|

#age-verification #social-media-ban #technology

world2 months ago•16 min saved

UK Moves to Block Social Apps for Under-16s in World-First Safety Bill

Britain unveiled a landmark bill that would block under-16s from using major social platforms such as X, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok, while extending age checks, livestreaming bans, and restrictions on AI chatbots; messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal would remain allowed; Ofcom will study age-verification methods as enforcement is planned for early 2027, with Australia’s experience cited as a template.

via Deadline|

#age-verification #child-safety #legislation

technology2 months ago•2 min saved

YouTube reintroduces private messaging with invite-based, age-verified chats

YouTube is bringing back private messaging as an in‑app feature for 18+ users in the US and globally, with access granted via invitation links sent through third‑party messaging platforms and subject to age verification; the system aims to let people share videos and chat with friends and family in one place, while enforcing Community Guidelines as the feature expands.

via The Verge|

#age-verification #in-app-messaging #invitation-links