Oh man.
Age verification.
Hmmmm.
I think it's necessary.
But the roll out and reasoning is shit.
Here's the deal.
Privacy and Safety.
On Privacy side you need a way to age verify that isn't going to compromise your personal information.
On the safety side you gotta be able to keep creepers away from kids.
Answer?
The library.
Think about this.
As the Bush administration was pushing for more surveillance and digging at peoples personal information.
The Librarians pushed back.
To protect peoples privacy.
It is/was a long fight.
Still going.
Why do you think "conservatives" want to shut down libraries?
2 reasons.
1. They don't put up with bullies.
2. That's where the receipts are.
By law, legislative bodies have to provide their budgeting information.
Proposed,
Actual
Variances.
Trust me, I've spent days and weeks in those stacks.
The reference section.
On the shelf, for anyone to request and review.
It's called public accountability.
So if someone keeps throwing receipts in your face what do you do?
Burn the receipts right?
Defund the libraries.
Close the doors.
Then no one can find out the truth.
So.
Have the libraries handle age verification.
They're a part of the community.
Know the people and will protect their privacy.
"But Jack, I thought you wanted the Post Office to handle everything."
No.
The post office is meant to handle ballot deliveries and counting to make sure there aren't too many.
Not reading them.
JeezUS
Do you even know what a postal carrier does?
So your library account get's age verified.
You provide you library card/account number.
The library gets pinged with a yes/no question that verifies the age you provide.
And there ya go.
Keeps creepers outta kids lobbies and kids out of adult spaces.
And licensed professionals the ability to monitor children's spaces for creepers that slipped through the cracks.
Librarians, educators, health professionals.
Are mandatory reporters.
They are ethically and legally obligated to report shenanigans that harm kids.
Not optional.
Why do you think creepers don't want their kids in public schools or libraries?
How do you take all of that a step further?
Your smart phones.
Or,
Personal Data Terminal if you prefer.
I'd have them issued by libraries.
Your little black box that lets you access networks and information.
And other people in your age category and/or age categories you're licensed for.
"But I don't want to carry a tracking device in my pocket." You say?
That' fine.
If you need verification for something just go to the library.
They'll verify your age in person, provide the library with the Screen name/player tag you're wanting to not be blocked from online play and then they unlock a device with the necessary verifications and you fill out the required details from there.
Hand the tablet back to the librarian, they reset the device to delete the memory.
Done and done.
"I don't want my kid to have one of these things, especially in the class room."
Good.
Me neither.
That's where desks and/or lockers come in.
They leave their device in the desk/locker during class.
The desk will pass through any messages from emergency contacts in the phone.
And if a kid doesn't have a pdt and needs it for a class or to do a project.
Well, good news, there's one in the desk with a school account the student can claim while they're at school.
The teacher can send assignment updates and things through the "Desk Network" or the "Desk Work"?
I dunno.
I'm terrible at naming things.
Further reading for when they're not in class, visual aids, tailored lessons to the students learning situation.
That would mean tampering with a Library registered PDT would be a federal crime.
Same as tampering with a mail box.
And online spaces, though not perfectly safe would have some delineation and prosecutors going after predators would have teeth to do it with that wouldn't rely on victims coming forward.
Cause that's how a lot of abuse cases fall apart.
Either the victim never comes forward or doesn't feel like they're being kept safe and refuses to testify.
Often returning to the abuser believing the monster they know is better than the one they don't.
Which, sadly, because of lack of funding and oversight the foster system can be just that.
A worse monster.
So yeah.
Age verification.
Yes.
Astrix.
Me.
I have no problem verifying my age online.
After all I am a professional and mandatory reporter.
I've done it for a couple of platforms already, because I support the cause if not the application.
"But what if your data get's breached."
Dude.
Seriously?
I'm a Xennial.
An age where if you were poor you are gen x and if you were wealthy you were a millennial.
My data was in the phone book.
My data has been breached so many times I've lost count and have a file just for that.
BoA?
Yep.
Every gaming platform?
Yep.
Places I didn't even know had my data because they were selling it without notification and didn't start saying they were selling it until the E.U. lit into their asses?
Yep.
So if you're telling me my data will be breached that's like telling a hocky player they're going to get hit by someone.
No shit.
At least if my data is in the hands of the library or post office I have options and know the postal inspectors are going to handle it.
Dude
I'm telling you.
Don't fuck with postal inspectors.
They scare me.
And no one scares me.
You can keep your dark webs and however many chans you think it's going to take to "stay pure" or what the fuck ever.
But on Jessica fucking Fletchers internet.
We keep kids safe.
The kids policing themselves and the professionals backing them up.
