I'm struggling to think of any online services for which I'd be willing to verify my identity or age

https://lemmus.org/post/20594088

The problem with “age” verification is that politicians are confusing it with identity verification.

I should not have to prove my name and other biometrics to prove age.

Age verification is the fascist way to get people to identify themselves and their online activity. Almost every state that has some sort of age verification law has zero method to actually verify age. No digital ID service, no way to share a credential for verification.

They want people to upload an ID.

This isn’t about keeping children safe and it never is. It’s about identifying critics of the government.

It is possible to build an age verification system, where you use your actual ID with a cryptographic process without any personal data. The technology has existed for decades now.

problems with that:

  • how do you verify that it works the way they say it works
  • how do you make yourself heard when it doesn’t

so far the only answer I am aware of for these questions is “you don’t”

The additional problem with that is straight up discrimination. We’re replacing a predatory system with another discriminatory system. It is essentially another path that leads to the same thing. Fighting fascism with fascism.