Mastodawn

The idea that one should be forced to verify one's age or identity to use one's own computer absolutely baffles me.

Perhaps I am some kind of dangerous computer radical these days, thinking that one should be able to buy or make a computer, install one's choice of OSs and software, create a local user account, and get on with one's affairs, privately and without interference.

Quiet enjoyment of one's computer.

* No age or ID verification

* No jumping through hoops to install software, or third parties restricting the software that one can run

* No third party accounts

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giuseppe leanzA 22h ago

@neil
I believe a distinction is necessary between using a computer as a personal tool and using it as a means of communication or for economic activity, which require adulthood and other forms of accreditation to operate in the market or in society at large

and it may be necessary to assume legal responsibility for economic activities

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Paul Lockett

@jerrymassloII @neil

"using it as a means of communication or for economic activity, which require adulthood..."

We had phone boxes where you could communicate with anyone without proving you are an adult. Long before that, we had (and still have) post boxes, where anyone can post a letter to anyone else without having to identify themselves.

The idea that communication is an activity which suddenly needs identification of all participants just doesn't stand up to scrutiny.