Age verification laws designed to block children from online porn sites are sweeping the US, Io Dodds writes. But do they actually protect children, or is there another agenda at work?

Summary

Several U.S. states have enacted laws requiring pornography sites, such as PornHub, to implement age verification to prevent minors’ access, prompting the site’s parent company, Aylo, to block access in affected states.

Proponents argue these laws protect children, while critics highlight privacy risks, inefficiencies, and potential censorship.

These measures reflect growing social conservatism, with some advocates aiming to restrict adult content broadly.

While privacy-focused age verification methods exist, regulatory clarity is lacking.

Critics warn these laws may suppress responsible platforms, favoring unregulated alternatives, and escalate broader culture wars around sexuality and LGBTQ+ rights.

  • @Eheran
    17•1 month ago

    Hahaha how easy it will be to fool the AI.

    • @twackEnglish
      16•1 month ago

      Why? Just take a picture of your neighbor.

      • @Eheran
        7•1 month ago

        Yes, for example. Not sure what the “why” is supposed to be for? At what point to you disagree?

        • @twackEnglish
          12•1 month ago

          I meant that there’s no need to fool the ai, the system is fundamentally flawed from the start.

          • @Eheran
            1•1 month ago

            So to you it is not fooling the AI if you present someone else? Where would fooling start?

      • @LifeInMultipleChoice
        1•1 month ago

        In my experience these type of verifications require you to look forward, then to the right, then to the left, acquiring a 3 dimensional data plot. Which cannot be done with a picture. Maybe if you had 3 pictures.

        “Why does your son carry around a mannequin?”