Mastodon, the decentralized social network, stated it cannot comply with age verification laws like Mississippi’s recent legislation because it lacks the technical capability to do so[1]. While Mastodon’s software allows server administrators to specify a minimum age of 16 for sign-ups, the age-check data is not stored, and the nonprofit has no way to verify users’ ages[1:1].
The organization emphasizes that individual server owners must decide for themselves whether to implement age verification, noting that Mastodon was founded specifically “to allow different jurisdictions to have social media that is independent of the U.S.”[1:2]
This stance follows Bluesky’s decision to block service in Mississippi over similar age verification requirements[1:3]. Mastodon’s position highlights the unique challenges decentralized platforms face with regional compliance, as there is “nobody that can decide for the fediverse to block Mississippi,” according to Mastodon founder Eugen Rochko[1:4].
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Privacy has become a very important issue in modern society, with companies and governments constantly abusing their power, more and more people are waking up to the importance of digital privacy.
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I am so sick of this fascism wrapped in the language of child protectionism. This is only about going after dissenting voices who use the shield of anonymity to speak freely. The persecution of people defending Gaza vocally is proof of that.
It objectively harms children
Oh wow I had no idea, thank you for informing me. I believe you with no proof.
Edit: I made this comment with the belief that by “it” they meant “a free internet”
sure, but chill
Why should we? People need to start feeling dumb for buying into this nonsense, because they are.
because their objective in doing this is surveillance, not really to “protect children”. the entire point is moot anyway, and we shouldn’t spend our anger at each other.
(and i’d argue blanket age-gating stuff like wikipedia is probably harmful for children, yea)
Next step, it’ll be the Roman Catholic Church that will be protected, and Israelies who kvetch about the Gaza stuff would be nothing, my producer seems to think think, in the future when there’s a mass exodus that occurs from the Roman Catholic Church.
At least “protect the children” is a meme now. Lotta people aren’t buying it.
Doesn’t matter whether people buy it when their views have no effect on government policy. It seems many governments are simultaneously deciding to require ID to use the internet, and you have to suspect it’s coordinated.
I think we neee to protest, but we also need to work hard to set up more robust ways to use at least the non-corporate web anonymously. If it’s left to governments we’ll get to the point where only licensed corporate publishers are allowed to run a website and only licensed users can access it.
After they used the same line about jazz, rock and roll, Dungeons and Dragons, video games…
Yeah, remembering the hilarious ban of Postal 2
Link? Wouldn’t that be illegal?
https://store.steampowered.com/app/223470/POSTAL_2/
Australia banned it for a while.