luna, friend of eggbug
well, time to downgrade my iPad from 26.4 back to 26.3 while i still can because of course apple didn't put "btw we're doing UK age verification now" in the patch notes
Mar 28 at 3:27pmWeb
Show threadluna, friend of eggbug18h ago

if you don't verify you're over 18:

  • browsers will block 'adult' websites - this appears to affect all browsers (not just safari) and can't be circumvented via a VPN, it seems to be blocked at the webview level

  • if you use safari extensions, you can't configure them any more

  • a little red notification badge on the settings icon until you verify

  • presumably a bunch of other bullshit too

Show threadluna, friend of eggbug18h ago

oh, and the officially supported verification methods are:

  • credit card (which i don't have; note that debit cards are not supported)

  • driver's license (which i also don't have)

  • national ID (whatever that means)

Show threadluna, friend of eggbug18h ago

you can see the US defaultism in that list

"credit card or driver's license" might fly in the states but over here we have walkable cities and public transit and we don't really use credit cards all that much

Show threadluna, friend of eggbug18h ago
and if you're thinking "oh, use your passport, that's a national ID", nope:
Show threadluna, friend of eggbug15h ago

final update on this

i wiped my iPad and downgraded it to 26.3 and restored my apps/etc from a backup

settings is still prompting me to verify my age for some reason, but it's no longer locking me out of things for having not verified

Show threadEmily_S17h ago

@luna "A digital ID in Apple Wallet created using a U.S. passport can be used to confirm you're an adult" ???

Can't inconvenience the apple exec that's travelling.

Show threadS T E L L A R  18h ago
@luna yeah i don't own a credit card or a passport, i only have recently got a driver's license
Show threadamy17h ago
@luna i assume a provisional license would work at least, since it must be checking the dob on the license

still stupid it doesn’t take passports though.

do you know how to stop it updating other than turning off automatic updates (not sure if this is actually effective?)
Show threadElio Campitelli17h ago
@luna Uhg. Similar to Australia. If you don't drive a car, you're not a person.
Show threadHazel Quantock17h ago
@luna god the credit card thing on Steam drives me up the fucking wall. I didn't even get a credit card when I lived in the US. But at least it hasn't blocked anything I really want, yet.
Show threadPozorvlak17h ago
@luna mere ownership of a credit card doesn't prove you're over 18 - I've had one since I was 13. Possibly the CC companies provide some age-verification service that debit cards don't? Under the hood they work very differently to debit cards, AIUI.
Show threadPozorvlak17h ago
@luna even in Europe, some car-hire companies will only accept credit cards. @drmikepj explained the reason to me once, but I'm afraid I've forgotten it.
Show threadMike Prior-Jones17h ago

@pozorvlak credit cards can only be issued to minors if someone else is paying the bill, so credit cards can be used for age verification as long as the cardholder and account holder are shown to be the same person.

With hire cars, it’s because the agency knows it will get paid by the card company if the car is damaged, whereas with a debit card there is a risk that the customer absconds, empties their account, and the bank bounces the card payment.

Show threadPozorvlak16h ago
@drmikepj aha, thanks! @luna
Show threadBruno Girin18h ago
@luna + AFAIK you need a credit card or passport to verify, which of course everyone in the UK has (not).
Show threadSnaprails18h ago

@brunogirin @luna

From what I've read they won't accept a UK Passport anyway. CC or Driving Licence which of course everyone in the UK has etc etc

Show threadBruno Girin18h ago

@snaprails @luna

Ah, thanks for the clarification !

Show threadSnaprails18h ago

@brunogirin @luna

I do have both but I'd expect that they won't accept my Driving Licence ... because I'm so old that it doesn't have a photo on it 😃

Show threadtaylor 14h ago
@luna also it seems like safe search is forced on (at least for DDG) which is great because it doesn't tell you, so you try to search for something containing the word "butt" and it blocks you until you evade it like I'm back at secondary school fighting against the web filter