alt.hn

3/8/2026 at 9:20:23 PM

House Committee Passes Child "Safety" Bills That Push National Age Verification

https://reclaimthenet.org/child-safety-bills-age-verification-surveillance-concerns

by iamnothere

3/9/2026 at 2:11:33 AM

It's too bad a lot of the dissenting arguments sounded the same as those against wearing masks. It was an own goal that could have been avoided.

What could have worked was a right to privacy, but by then the well had already been poisoned.

by kelseyfrog

3/9/2026 at 5:44:11 PM

I’m not sure I’m against the bill since it’s implemented at the App Store level. They wanted a walled garden and became a duopoly. If we aren’t going to dismantle the walls, then at least the public has right to determine what happens at the gates.

For the same reason, I’m okay with the UK regional monopoly ISPs blocking all adult content by default, and requiring an adult user to disable the default block. It doesn’t give the ISP any more info than they already had on their customer, and puts the responsibility of fine grained monitoring of the device in the users hands.

by true_religion

3/9/2026 at 7:15:51 PM

The “app store” model they are defining will encompass some Linux distribution repositories, and will be used to regulate FOSS software distributed through those channels. This is not just about commercial app stores (though it should be limited to those).

Hobby software should not be subject to regulation. Nobody will write FOSS if they have to pay a lawyer or worry about fines, compliance, and such. (Actually some will continue to write it, but will move underground.)

by iamnothere

3/8/2026 at 10:07:27 PM

Unfortunately no one gives a shit besides a lot of us.

by westmeal

3/9/2026 at 11:22:14 AM

The US sure wants to collapse by sending most of the libre software foundations and companies (and infrastructure) to Canada to avoid useless regulations on software.

by anthk

3/9/2026 at 4:39:33 PM

In politics, assume politicians are evil, not stupid.

by derelicta

3/8/2026 at 9:27:28 PM

> The App Store Accountability Act adds age gating at the app store level

Don't forget the corporations that valiantly fought against "sideloading" to ensure this could happen. Props to them and their supporters on HN, hopefully this is what you wanted.

by bigyabai

3/9/2026 at 8:44:57 AM

revenge of the beurocrats

this is bieng pushed from inside the civil service in conjunction with money interests and is equivalent to a treasonous military takeover

I would argue that the traditional consequences apply

by metalman

3/9/2026 at 5:48:33 PM

This literally could have been avoided if the bureaucrats at the FTC prevented App Store monopolies from existing.

We're only in this situation because the bureaucrats were paid-off by the corporations.

by bigyabai

3/9/2026 at 6:22:34 AM

I don't support these laws for the same reason I wouldn't support national, gendered and racial APIs. Anonymity is a fundamental human right, segregation isn't.

It hasn't even been a year since the supreme court ruled in favor of compelled speech for specific adult content and that's already expanded to any engagement with an OS. That's how you know these are being pushed by industry, there is a huge market for verified child advertising. Everyone talking about slippery slop with Texas not even a year ago, are you eating crow or caviar?

by casey2

3/8/2026 at 9:26:11 PM

But Think of thE cHiLdren!!!

by throwaway81523

3/8/2026 at 9:45:12 PM

[flagged]

by sizzzzlerz