Age verification

Doshwaster

bob2302 said:

I imagine that in the long-term, third-parties will handle this - maybe the likes of Paypal, Ccbill etc.

Content providers are already using 3rd parties (such as VeifyMy: https://verifymy.io/age-verification-and-estimation/) as it passes the liability on to someone else. The question is how much people trust these services.

Gillor

Today’s kids are so tech savvy they will have no problem in circumventing these so-called restrictions.

Here are three easy ways for starters…

Tor Browser

Brave Browser with Tor private browsing

VPN

MyRealNameToo

Newcad said:

Also bear in mind that many sites can now spot if/when a VPN is in use and block them as a matter of policy.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VPN_blocking

Like many things it's a game of cat and mouse. Yes occasionally you get a site blocking you for using a VPN but the ones I've used have many locations in the major countries you will probably be using and never had to try more than 2 additional locations to find one that worked 

tghe-retford

The problem with VPN's is that they're just a stop gap solution as every country either outright bans content or implements the same or greater laws. Such as ID for speech (effectively no ID, no Internet) that Mississippi just passed but is currently subject to a request to suspend it. Or the requirement for age verification to view YouTube and social media in Australia by December. Or its ban on social media for under 16's. 

From what I understand, Cloudflare have managed to identify anyone within the UK using a VPN regardless of country setting and intend to block 200 illegal websites regardless of whether you're using a VPN or not. So potentially the "VPN problem" for Ofcom may soon be solved. Technically websites are not allowed to promote VPN's from today. 

I'm also annoyed at how the media and even Ofcom, who should know their own regulations, are reporting this. They are stating its strictly just for adult websites. It is not. Video games without adult material are now requiring age verification and parental permission. Dating apps with zero tolerance for uploading of adult material in their terms and conditions are also age verifying and ID checking users. 

From first impressions, there is mass non-compliance with the law. Websites that have 18+ or age restrictions in their legally binding terms and conditions are not implementing robust age verification. That includes retail websites and competitions, of which MSE has a whole section dedicated to them. 

I said the whole thing would be a mess and we'll see in the next week or so how much of a mess it is. In effect from today, the Internet is on death row. 

Gillor

MyRealNameToo said:

Newcad said:

Also bear in mind that many sites can now spot if/when a VPN is in use and block them as a matter of policy.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VPN_blocking

Like many things it's a game of cat and mouse. Yes occasionally you get a site blocking you for using a VPN but the ones I've used have many locations in the major countries you will probably be using and never had to try more than 2 additional locations to find one that worked 

Generally there are two reasons for site blocking...

Firstly, those sites which operate self-imposed blocking to protect their contents from unauthorised access, such as the BBC and Netflix, and secondly those sites which have blocking imposed upon them.

Those in the first category are the most likely to try to identify and block VPN users whereas those in the second category have no incentive at all to do so as they are already losing customers and potential profit as a result of restrictions they don’t want.

It’s this second category which is under debate here and, at the moment and in the  the majority of cases, there are few problem with VPN access to these sites. At the moment!.

But as the old saying goes - every time someone comes up with a foolproof solution along comes a more talented fool.

B0bbyEwing

Newcad said:

Also bear in mind that many sites can now spot if/when a VPN is in use and block them as a matter of policy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VPN_blocking

TBH the requirement to age-verify for adult content online is one step closer to Big-Brother.
(Puts tin-foil on head).

Once it starts where does it stop? How long before you have to age-verify to stream movies? I'm not talking adult films but blockbuster movies.

Such intrusive verification measures are often supposedly justified by cries of "If you have nothing to hide then it isn't a problem".
However just because I have nothing to hide doesn't mean that I should be made to share personal details with everybody who asks, or go without goods or services if I don't.

In the end the new age-verification measures for accessing adult sites is going to drive some people from the respectable adult sites (and yes I'm aware that some people would call that an oxymoron) to much more dodgy sites that don't care and will no doubt be loaded with spam, malware, and scams, or trying to avoid verificatiom may even push them as far as the dark web.
I also have no doubt that sites will be set up with not much actual content but with the sole intention of getting the gullible to give them lots of personal data when signing up.

Like many 'do gooder' ideas age-verification online only considers one aim and ignores the consequences.
You can't even sensibly debate it because the extremists from both sides will hijack any such debate to shout out their views.

(Removes tin-foil).

Case of the few spoiling it for the many perhaps then. 

molerat

I have just been to a site that required age verification, clicked the VPN and site opened as normal.  Just as well VPNs are beyond the scope of the average 13 year old to understand 

MyRealNameToo

tghe-retford said:

The problem with VPN's is that they're just a stop gap solution as every country either outright bans content or implements the same or greater laws. Such as ID for speech (effectively no ID, no Internet) that Mississippi just passed but is currently subject to a request to suspend it. Or the requirement for age verification to view YouTube and social media in Australia by December. Or its ban on social media for under 16's. 

From what I understand, Cloudflare have managed to identify anyone within the UK using a VPN regardless of country setting and intend to block 200 illegal websites regardless of whether you're using a VPN or not. So potentially the "VPN problem" for Ofcom may soon be solved. Technically websites are not allowed to promote VPN's from today. 

Any indication of how Cloudflare have claimed to do it, or even a link where they say they can?

Even with a VPN something accessed via a webbrowser will expose various localisation factors potentially (time, language (en-gb) etc) however its a certain leap of faith as my computer would say its 13:18 and I use en-GB irrespective of if I am in London or Lisbon (I dont suddenly start reading in Portuguese just because I am on holiday). It would be very crude if thats all they are relying on. 

Presumably the not promoting VPN from today is explicitly in relation to circumventing age protection controls? Everyone is still promoting VPNs for other legitimate reasons etc. 

Vitor

How many of the heavily advertised VPN providers are actually 'fronts' for NSA/GCHQ/Mossad etc. and are, in effect, honey traps? Mulvad, based in Sweden, and ProtonVPN in Switzerland are possibly more trustworthy.

QrizB

I've been with Mullvad for many years and haven't been whisked away by the men in black yet ...