Re: What IS "Social Media"??

s|b <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Thu, 5 Feb 2026 13:48:05 +0100, Carlos E.R. wrote:
> 
> > On 2026-02-01 09:21, Daniel70 wrote:
> 
> > > Cross-posted to Linux and Win-11 NGs
> > > 
> > > As may here would be aware, last December, the Australian Government 
> > > brought in Legislation to limit the access to "Social Media" for those 
> > > under 16 years of age.
>  
> > Spain just announced (in the Dubai Summit) it is going to do the same. 
> > The companies, like X, must actually ensure the age of the person before 
> > granting access. Method not specified, but clicking somewhere is not 
> > accepted as valid check.
> 8< snip >8
> 
> This is not "to protect the children" as they claim. Children still get
> access by VPN or even by putting make-up on their face to look older
> (this is proven to fool the age detection) or by using their parent's
> account with their approval.
> 
> The funny thing is that the companies behind the social media have to
> adapt and do the age check. So even more personal data is sent to them.
> Crazy!

  As mentioned in Carlos' references, the age check facility will be
provided by an independent organization (probably government
controlled). The social media platform just sends a request to this
facility asking whether or not the prospective user has the required
minimum age and gets back a yes/no indication.

  The platform does not get a name or the actual age or any other
information. They get what they need (yes/no), nothing more.

  We - in The Netherlands - already have a similar system for different
purposes, so yes it can be done.

  Of course  the 'social media' companies - and especially their rabid
owners - pretend that such a system is not possible, so they have a
'reason' for continuing spreading their bile, influencing politics,
elections, supporting extreme anti-democratic parties, etc., etc..