France is moving to classify X as a pornographic website, a designation that would place it under the country’s mandatory age verification and digital ID laws.
This step, if finalized, would force the company to either implement robust age-gating mechanisms or restrict access to adult content altogether to avoid being cut off from younger users.
It would also mean that users have to show ID to access the platform, introducing major implications for privacy and free speech.
Everyone should have content filtering tools. I use Adguard services for filtering my own internet (adult, Reddit, YouTube, etc.). Surely, implimenting something similar at an OS or router level would have saved us decades of pointless bickering and provided us with an actual consumer benefit?
I don’t know if they still do it, but some mobile internet providers in the UK would filter things out unless you sent them your ID to unblock it.
Not sure it’s a great solution, but better than having to provide your ID to every random website out there.
Having to provide Id to any entity to access internet pages is dystopian and fucked up, sounds just like the UK.
Not that the USA is better at all
I think it’s mostly because it’s a SIM only thing and anyone can send off for one.
If you want it, that should be your right, but the government shouldn’t be forcing it on you.
That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying governments could force MS, Google, Apple to implement content filtering tools at the OS level, that give users the choice to set up filtering however they want for themselves or their kids.
This already largely works, at least on Android. I use RethinkDNS, which allows me to filter stuff already, and comes included with a host of DNS filters out of the box.
I don’t need MS, Google, or Apple to do it, just make it possible to install a third-party app that does it. That way I get to decide which tool I think works best instead of whatever the OEM decides.
what does that have to do with France forcing you to show your ID to use Twitter?
Those against website age verification argue that content blocking should happen at the OS level. For example, a parent could enable the built-in “child mode” on their child’s smartphone or computer. As I understand it, that would be more effective, graceful, cheaper, free speechy, and private. To a degree, tech savvy parents (and people who block ads and other content) already do similar things with third party tools - i.e. it’s feasible.
Sure if that was all they had in mind. This is also about collecting info and controlling what people can do, the content is just an excuse as a means of doing so.
Well, yes, there is that.