ListNook

swollennode Mar 28, 2026 +25

And how will they enforce it? Oh yeah, age verification. Which means giving up privacy

25

SemiHemiDemiDumb Mar 28, 2026 +3

Shouldn't be age verification, needs to be the parents are held liable if the crime is committed, they're the ones responsible for them.

3

JBudz Mar 29, 2026

"A zero-knowledge proof is a cryptographic method that allows one party to prove to another that a specific statement is true without revealing any underlying information beyond the validity of the statement itself. Essentially, it enables you to prove you know a "secret" (like a password or identity) without ever actually sharing or showing the secret."

0

swollennode Mar 29, 2026 +2

Yeah…ain’t no way any government who require age verification isn’t storing IDs on everyone. The whole purpose of it is to eliminate anonymity on the internet.

2

JBudz Mar 29, 2026 +1

Sure. But there's also a growing culture of bringing privacy back to the user, for instance zero knowledge proofs

1

quintavious_danilo Mar 28, 2026 -24

Like entering a night club or a movie theater or even some amusement parks. Some require a valid ID for participating. Where’s the difference?

-24

YneeaKuro Mar 28, 2026 +16

I assume the difference would be showing someone your ID at a glance vs uploading it on the internet/servers.

16

quintavious_danilo Mar 28, 2026 -18

Like any banking app you mean?

-18

Kezsora Mar 28, 2026 +9

You do know pointing to other examples that people also don't like isn't the gotcha that you think it is

9

Cereal_is_great Mar 28, 2026 +9

Any banking app? Really? My bank has never made me upload an ID over the internet. They let me do it in person at the bank.

9

Questimus_Prime Mar 28, 2026 -6

And where do they store that info? On a server?

-6

d47 Mar 28, 2026 +3

Storing ID isn't supposed to happen, it's verified on the spot and discarded if done digitally. But, as you know, it's a pretty one sided trust relationship.

3

EX0PIL0T Mar 28, 2026 +2

I love when you guys tell us that you’re arguing something that you don’t have a clue about

2

Questimus_Prime Mar 28, 2026 -1

Do you have some actual insight then so the clueless can learn or are you just a useless?

-1

EX0PIL0T Mar 28, 2026 +2

“I’m too lazy to type a sentence into google” Why would I bother with doing that? The only benefit to me is that there is a slightly higher chance you think before you speak. If you can’t be bothered to do the most basic form of research I can’t be bothered to do it for you since I have my doubts in you actually reading it.

2

Questimus_Prime Mar 28, 2026 +1

Your assumptions are wrong. And what would googling be of use if the process varies from place to place depending on legislature etc.? Useless then, good night.

1

IntelArtiGen Mar 28, 2026 +13

It's weird to think it wasn't already banned for children. But the problem is more how they plan to implement it, because it's often a bad idea when it's done with invasive age verification.

13

mejok Mar 28, 2026 +7

I think that is how it might be done. In Austria we have an online verification system called ID Austria that is tied to your social security account. It is how you can access your health records/insurance info and virtually confirm official things (like logging into to the finance ministry site to do your tax declaration). IIRC, the plan is to make people login via that tool, or that was at least the most feasible sounding proposal.

7

nicuramar Mar 28, 2026 +1

Well, if you already have an online ID and verification system, it can be done quite non-invisibly, that is, in a way so the service provider doesn’t get additional information.

1

RoleTall2025 Mar 28, 2026 +17

only took the world 20 f@$#king years to realise kids arent product

17

moldyjellybean Mar 28, 2026 +2

How many more countries. Indonesia is doing it and they have a large population

2

RoleTall2025 Mar 28, 2026 +1

more and more countries are announcing this. So I think Australia was the pebble that started the avalanche and now we are at Austria and Indonesia. The elephant in the room is the U.S - their companies make money of this, so this is where i think it will get complicated.

1

SeatKindly Mar 28, 2026

I mean, yes. However digital communication is still an exceedingly important tool for queer, trans, and questioning kids and teens who are often neglected support by their families and failed by their local communities. I’m not fond of the idea of removing access to information and support elements from kids who are frequently neglected if not outright abused in their local community.

0

d47 Mar 28, 2026

It's a social media ban, not an internet ban.

0

Jyosea Mar 28, 2026 +11

idiots. That's not a ban for underaged ones, that's another form to control everyone. Those kids won't have to ID themselvs, we, the over 14 year olds have to. That's how the internet will go further down the drain.

11

Soft-Ingenuity2262 Mar 29, 2026 +1

If that’s so, it would mean an internet populated by people and not by bots, wouldn’t it?

1

HortaNord Mar 28, 2026 +3

I'd say 16 is a good age for the ban as social skills hasn't been fully developed yet

3

cptstubing16 Mar 28, 2026 +16

Really? Considering the state of the world I'd say even adults don't have fully developed social skills.

16

HortaNord Mar 28, 2026 +3

yes, I totally agree with that xd

3

IntelArtiGen Mar 28, 2026 +6

I think most adults don't have fully developed social skills, some of them can even become presidents sometimes.

6

HortaNord Mar 28, 2026 +1

and having special military operations xd

1

alelo Mar 28, 2026 +3

14 is when you become legally responsible in austria so makes sense to have it set there - legally speaking - tho you could also putnit in parallel to alcohol

3

Questimus_Prime Mar 28, 2026 +2

Beer and whine are 16+ but rum etc. are 18+. So is Social Media beer or tequila?

2

HortaNord Mar 29, 2026 +1

I didn't know that, but legally responsible means accountable for your actions in court or major of age? because here in Spain you become accountable at 13 and I don't see kids voting in national elections

1

alelo Mar 29, 2026 +1

yes , means you do bad stuff you can be held accountable for it -and crime gangs make use of this in austria/bmvienna

1

Shadowholme Mar 28, 2026 +2

Just don't tell the Austrian kids to turn to art instead - we know how that ends up! (/s obviously)

2

Questimus_Prime Mar 28, 2026 +2

Miight even be a good solution because there aren't even enough countries in the world to become a dictator of. So overflowing the market with hopeless failed art wannabe art students might even bring the protests and changes that are actually needed. Or they'll just smash and grab like gorillas.

2

neroselene Mar 28, 2026 +3

And thus another nation joins the tyranny that is killing the internet.

3

Able_Tumbleweed4196 Mar 29, 2026 +1

We have idiots with no clue in charge in our Parliament - that's the problem!

1

Creativator Mar 28, 2026 +1

A good start, next step is banning the addictive features that were built into social media with a/b testing loops.

1

supermannman Mar 28, 2026 +1

how about banning the whole world of IG/FB/X/tik tok. just keep forums as it was. the world will be just fine without them

1

Questimus_Prime Mar 28, 2026 +2

But where would companies spam-flood our daily lives with ads then? And ThInK oF tHe PoOr InFlUeNcErS.

2

supermannman Mar 28, 2026 +1

I dont sub to any influencer. I do see some randomly but they have all become salesmen for the items/services/products they show. they play it off like theyre looking out for the viewers as your friend but theyre the salesmen...they buddy up to companies. get free trips to the conventions and such, get products, to keep to review. they want to stay in good standings so they cant say anything bad ive never patreon anyone. many are just so fake and very subjective. they are never objective. "yes this product doesnt have this and that, but Ive never used those features so you wont need them"-thanks for deciding for me. I feel such satisfaction when I move right by their in video sponsor ad. in fact i think ublock actually marks it on the timeline and just jumps right by it.

1

Which_Appointment450 Mar 28, 2026 -1

Feel bad for gen beta

-1

double_teel_green Mar 28, 2026 +1

They'll only succeed in making it cool and more appealing.

1

tomekza Mar 28, 2026 +1

The people resist national ID's. The Government comes up with new ways to force it on us. This is the latest attempt.

1

Strykehammer Mar 28, 2026 -1

It hasn’t worked in Australia, what are they going to do with less letters

-1

PhilosophyGullible14 Mar 28, 2026 -1

I hope this becomes a wider trend across all continents.

-1

BUYMEBONESTOORM Mar 28, 2026 -4

Should be 16

-4

Austria plans social media ban for under-14s

💬 Send a Message

49 Comments