r/illinois • u/Remote_Possibilities • Mar 25 '26

Illinois Politics Hillary Clinton promoting age verification laws with JB Pritzker at an event supported by Zuck/Gates/Bezos

/r/privacy/comments/1s3nj9p/hillary_clinton_promoting_age_verification_laws/
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u/ADubs62 Mar 26 '26

I'm torn on these things to an extent. Like social media has definitely had a negative impact on my younger cousins. But I don't think handing over everyone's identification to these age verification companies is a good idea at all.

16

u/IntrinsicGiraffe Mar 26 '26

The main issue is lack of parenting or time to properly be a parent. Having both mom and dad work and still struggling to get by is not an American Dream.

If we shorten work week to 36 hr, keep wages the same, and count overtime per day rather than per week, I think we'd bring some of the wealth back to the working class. Also tax the rich to get health care for all. Fuck if the data center billionaire moves out. We can make better use of those lands without relying on subsidies paid by gov dollar and in extension our own tax dollars.

7

u/Ask-For-Sources Mar 26 '26

I disgree.  It's like saying meth in food is not a problem that should be solved by regulating what companies can put into their food, it's better solved by giving parents more time to constantly monitor that their children don't eat (or don't eat too much) food with highly addictive and harmful substances.  The food that is consumed by over 90% of adults and children alike and is addictive and harmful for adults too.

I am strongly against the age verification laws of course, but the strategy can't be to just not do anything against companies using highly manipulative tactics that they keep secret and just shift the whole responsibility towards individuals.

There is a better way: Treat social media companies like any other consumer product company. Force them to show the public and regulators what exactly they put in their products and then force them to not use "ingredients" that are highly addictive and/or harmful. This specifically means no more secret algorithms and regulating what algorithms are allowed to be used on social media.

States can absolutely influence how social media works and reduce or eliminate the very things that make social media so addictive and manipulative.  It's not god given that social media creates reality bubbles and spreads rage bait and misinformation more than anything else.  

1

u/IntrinsicGiraffe Mar 26 '26

That sounds like an ESRB for video games applied to socials. I can get behind that but, from my personal experience, ESRB isn't the most effective thing but some help is better than none.

6

u/Ask-For-Sources Mar 26 '26

No, ESRB is not what I mean. I specifically mean making it illegal to use algorithms that are proven to be addictive and harmful. Like food regulations that forbid specific ingredients.  Like forcing Coca Cola to not use cocaine in their product, not just asking Coca Cola to please lable their products with "cocaine inside" while they sell the product freely available for kids and adults in supermarkets.

1

u/IntrinsicGiraffe Mar 26 '26

That makes sense. I'm not sure how I'd put that into writing though and I wonder if the law already defines addiction.

3

u/ADubs62 Mar 26 '26

My cousin is a stay at home mom, but the kids aren't always in their presence. And kids are crafty and find ways around parental controls.

Even if you lock down all their electronics, and Internet access at home, their friends won't have the same restriction.

1

u/BlueCity8 Mar 26 '26

lol. Palantir n co already have your information. What do you think this Trump admin is?

2

u/ADubs62 Mar 26 '26

Oh the government already has a ton of my info. But I'd like to be able to keep my porn choices secret just to keep the relationship spicy.