Age Verification Laws

J Hughes, Sarah Shahed, Matteo MacDermant discuss Sarah’s editorial on age verification laws. We all want to protect children from harm, and age-gating social media websites has broad support. But mandating age-verification means identifying everyone, giving platforms much more information about consumers and putting the anonymity of journalists, activists and whistleblowers at risk. They also oblige defining what kinds of content are inappropriate for children. Is there a technofix for age-gating that preserves user anonymity?

Links

• Sarah’s essay:

Age Gates, Surveillance, and the Politics of “Protecting Children” Online

• The Win That Wasn’t: What New Mexico v. Meta Is Really About:

  The Win That Wasn't: What New Mexico v. Meta Is Really About

• UK ban announcement (GOV.UK):

  https://www.gov.uk/government/news/social-media-to-be-banned-for-under-16s-in-landmark-government-move-to-givekids-their-childhood-back

• TechPolicy.Press on UK ban and surveillance: https://www.techpolicy.press/could-a-uk-teen-social-media-ban-work-without-expanding-surveillance/

• House KIDS Act deal (this week): https://www.techtimes.com/articles/318896/20260623/house-kids-act-deal-drops-kosa-duty-care-adds-age-verification-all-users.htm

• Texas app verification ruling:
  https://www.texastribune.org/2026/05/28/texas-apple-google-app-store-age-verification/

• EFF on age verification dangers:
  https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/06/kids-act-would-require-age-checks-get-online