I wonder why they're spreading this message. EU just went after Meta and Tiktok for the addictive design.
Why not wait the results of this? They allowed children get brainfucked for 9+ years. Whats one or two more years? If we need do something now just ban phones from schools, this had excellent results all over countries.
Then let's see if the harms still exceeds positives. Since seriously internet contains so much rich information and educative content. Not mention lots safe places for LGBTQ, which is being age gated behind 18+ for some reason. You cant even buy a flag without age verification. It's absurd.
The author seems forget that AI crawlers use millions residental proxies, so simply having proof of work indeed blocks them. If they reused proof of work with different IP, they'd be detected very quickly. Or the proof of work is linked to IP. The anubis is activately updated so im not fully following it. If they re-use IP then they'd be ratelimited.
Another advantage is requiring cookie storage, which lots crawler seem be lacking for some reason. Since most common http clients support them. When the crawlers are doing lots of requests at once, needing JS engine would add a lot of overhead aswell. So its multiple factors which makes this viable method so far.
I think the blog author is misinformed about the session id? If you use that for marketing purposes, you need cookie prompt. The GDRP says only necassary cookies, if you also reuse the login cookies for purposes. It's not longer necassary right?
Otherwise it'd be so blatant loophole, you can only use cookies for their intended purposes and not reuse for them other purposes. I remember some details when i needed a way to prioritize user traffic via cookies, since lots malicous traffic dont have cookie storage, as long i didnt retain the cookie ID used for load balancing, as all information would be lost on reboot of haproxy process. I didnt need cookie prompt, but if i also used that for other purposes like visitor tracking, then I'd need cookie prompt even before setting the cookie.
Running Local LLM isn't really a lot effort anymore, since its one command away to get the familar interface of chat AI. This setup requires 24GB ish VRAM and 32GB ram, so if you have capable gaming PC which can do AAA games, you can run it.
After that simply open browser and enter: http://localhost:8080
What this does: This will download Gemma4 AI with 26B param & start a http server for chat
Its shockingly capable for its size. Does it beat the top end models? No, but as long your don't fall into the hallucations. Its just fine.
Edit: the software is llama.cpp you can download it from "releases" which u can find at github right side. No need to know how to build it
Edit2: Pro tip is, only use chat per context you want to use. Lots users want "dynamically" change the context, but that doesnt really work from my experience.
UK already technically banned encryption, causing Apple to remove the encrypted cloud service for UK customers. Check UK's "Investigatory Powers Act (IPA)"
Personally i only purchase DRM free games, but it doesn't still change that fact that major digital storefronts use misleading terms. Maybe physical disks would maintain popularity if customers knew they'd be renting the product for unknown period time instead of owning it.
It's easy to forget that average joe doesn't understand the consequences when we're on our own bubbles.
Edit: The media outrage when Sony removed 550 movies, indicates the customers don't still understand the terms of the sale. It wouldnt make any noises if customers knew they were renting it.
I think you misunderstood, the major issue is that companies are actually "renting", it's just at 100k words long terms of services where they redefine "purchase" as rental.
California has actually done something about this, you can longer claim that customers are "buying" when they're actually just renting.
If i claimed i sell a house for 500K but the in terms of sale redefine sale as rent the house for 500K and i can claim the property back anytime, that'd be crime yet it's somehow legal with digital goods.
So Government can track your accounts via IP,Timestamps, Token (if website saves it).
Just incase you dont bother visiting the github page the simplified flow works like this:
1) You scan QR code 2) Verification 3) Provider/Verifier informs website +18 age
So if i verify my age then watch some material which doesn't agree with with my government values like females with male genitals. I'd be royally screwed if government wishes to pursue.
If you are referring to EUID (not fully sure as you said EU eID, i dont know if you are referring the estonia of eID like system)
I have to mention that EUID is not private, since there's "provider" element which informs website if you are 18 or not. The flow is:
1) You scan QR code
2) Your EUDI wallet does verification, informs provider to tell you are 18+
3) Provider informs website you are 18+
The EUID draft doesnt mention tech like ohttp for anonymizing requests. So there's risk of provider keeping track of who you are. So while everybody claims its fully anonymous which is just false. Government could ask website/service for the token or account information then use timestamp or token then combining with "provider" logs, your identity will be exposed.
EUID has another problem which is letting all countries implement system, which is wasteful duplication effort so this probably will be outsourced and to same company to reduce duplication efforts. Then it'll be centralized and they happen be collecting telemetry data for "experience improvements" as everysite out there do.
I haven't even mentioned biggest problems like requiring attestation Apple/Google. While spec doesn't require it, but the likehood country's app requiring it will be very high.
I still think we're solving social media from wrong angle. We should fix the addiction nature, so we can still use social media for informative purposes. (like hobby forums) Before the big platforms took over, there was lots rich information sources about tech and programming I wouldnt be there if those forums did not exist. Right now its just bunch negativity dopamine hits.
It's still weird how those social media bans are essentially "anything with chat/messages requires age check".
If social media is affecting learning, then ban using phones at schools, it's been very effective all around world with no privacy risks.
so instead of burnerphones, they will steal phones and keep phone awake until they have accomplished the crime they gonna do.
This is what always happens when governments enforce laws like this, victims and innoncents always suffer as result.
Its happening in finance where criminals groom dumb teengers for laundering money, or eldery's bank accounts they obtain via installing remote software.
So lets add 1 more reason for criminals to steal phone.
Edit: This is also happening in crypto world where criminals perform fake KYC. I guess with age verifications, this crime will increase in demand multiplefold and the last defense ID will be obsolete after data leaks and the fraud happening around it.
As finn. I can verify scam calls are non-existent lately few do occasinally popup, but its like 2000 times better than before. When i learned about this originally, i was shocked like how this is not default?
This is correct attitude, for example some people actually got arresred for supporting ukraine efforts on war. I disagree that all my assets must be seized because i donated few bucks for sake protecting invaded country.
Ukraine event's is prime example why finanical privacy is important. I think we're solving taxing issue from wrong angle, we should be look this another angle: Merchants should be identifiable and taxable while customer stay private. GNU's solution "Talor" is very interesting and promising.
Dont forget what kicked this age verification in first place. Initially they wanted do age verification for porn, and only year later they moved into social media seeing there's wasn't huge pushback.
So even if this change doesn't affect you right now, but it will affect you later then it'll be too late to fight agaisnt.
Same, for same reason i refuse pay for services, in past paying for service would mean they wouldn't track you and sell your data, but thats not longer the case. Since that's additional profits for companies.
Luckily there's few exemptions services which im happily paying since its proven they dont collect your data so advertisers can't prey on you when you're at lowest.
Like did you know, just by obtaining credit card, your shopping history is sold? And you can't reject this, at least i haven't managed to do so. Yet in EU we're banning cash, where's option so i can buy my grocies without insurances knowing i bought candies for weekends so they'll hike insurance up.