Re: What IS "Social Media"??

On 2026-02-06 13:17, Frank Slootweg wrote:
> 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..

Right.

-- 
Cheers, Carlos.
ES🇪🇸, EU🇪🇺;