Another Conflict Between Privacy Laws and Age Authentication–Murphy v Confirm ID

Role of the Free Market vs Regulation

• One camp argues the market cannot solve age verification without strict regulation; profit incentives push data exploitation, not privacy.
• Others respond that the “solution” of the free market is simply not to do age verification at all—and that is desirable, because verification is “not required on the internet.”
• A separate line says fines on non-compliant sites (as with alcohol sales) would be enough; critics counter that online services are fundamentally different from physical stores and create durable, highly saleable data trails.

Government / Centralized ID and Privacy

• Some favor a government-funded, non-profit or semi-public verifier (post office, DMV, login.gov, government APIs, EU digital identity proposals).
• Others strongly object: centralized systems create “treasure troves” of intimate data (e.g., porn habits) vulnerable to abuse, sale, or breach (Equifax analogies).
• Proposed mitigations include intermediaries or anonymous-credential schemes (Privacy Pass–style tokens) so the state confirms age without learning which sites are accessed.

Header- and Device-Side Filtering (RTA, PICS, OS Controls)

• Multiple comments advocate a simple content-label header (RTA or similar) plus device/app enforcement:
  • Sites mark themselves as adult or “may contain unsuitable content.”
  • Devices/browsers/OS “kid modes” or parental controls decide what to show.
• This is seen as low-friction, privacy-preserving, and placing costs on those who want protection.
• Skeptics note that similar voluntary schemes (PICS, voluntary content ratings) failed: labeling reduces reach and revenue, so non-compliant competitors win unless a powerful gatekeeper (e.g., search engines, app stores) enforces it.

Parents vs State; Practical Monitoring Limits

• Some insist responsibility rests with parents: control devices, set rules, punish violations, and teach kids.
• Others, including parents in the thread, describe that as unrealistic:
  • Smartphones, Wi‑Fi everywhere, encrypted/ephemeral messaging, and school-mandated online tools make 24/7 oversight impossible.
  • Parental controls are described as complex, fragile, and easily bypassed by determined kids.
• Comparisons to seatbelts and car seats raise the question of when collective safety rules should supplement parental efforts; opponents reply that age-verification harms privacy and burdens everyone.

Is the “Problem” Real?

• Some argue fear of minors seeing porn is moral panic; evidence of serious harm is disputed and termed “societal neuroticism.”
• Others claim current online porn is more extreme and accessible than in the past and that existing filters and advice demonstrably fail for most families.

Legislative Motives and Conflicts

• Australian and UK age-verification pushes are criticized as technologically naive or deliberately creating incompatible legal obligations to enable arbitrary enforcement.
• There is concern that politicians and some corporations favor third‑party verification precisely because it enables surveillance, data monetization, and political leverage.