Skip to main content

mastodon - Link to source

Today's threads (a thread)

Inside: There's no such thing as "age verification"; and more!

Archived at: pluralistic.net/2026/05/19/she…

#Pluralistic

1/

An 18th century wax anatomical model depicting a woman's torso, the skin removed to reveal the organs. Perched on the torso is an enormous fly, its face in her stomach. Image: Fir0002/Flagstaffotos (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Calliphora_augur_whitebackground.jpg GFDL 1.2 https://www.gnu.org/licenses/fdl-1.3.html

Pluralistic: There’s no such thing as “age verification” (19 May 2026) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow

pluralistic.net
#Pluralistic
in reply to Cory Doctorow

Cory Doctorow
mastodon - Link to source
Cory Doctorow
• •

My next book is *The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI*, out next month. Pre-order it now, including as a DRM-free audiobook or ebook, at my Kickstarter, and help me continue to prove that DRM-free isn't just the *right* way to reach an audience, it's also the *best* way to reach them:

kickstarter.com/projects/docto…

2/

in reply to Cory Doctorow

Cory Doctorow
mastodon - Link to source
Cory Doctorow
• •
Long thread/3

Sensitive content

in reply to Cory Doctorow

fool
mastodon - Link to source
fool
• •
Seems like a bitter one today. What a lamentable thing it is to be in the power of those who persist in folly; I suppose we'll never be free of it. But it's important to remember that we can... do... something? Hang on, my instruments are detecting some form of irony here.
in reply to Cory Doctorow

Cory Doctorow
mastodon - Link to source
Cory Doctorow
• •
Long thread/4

Sensitive content

in reply to Cory Doctorow

bm
mastodon - Link to source
bm
• •
Long thread/4

Sensitive content

in reply to Cory Doctorow

dtomvan
mastodon - Link to source
dtomvan
• •
re: Long thread/3

Sensitive content

in reply to Cory Doctorow

MarkG
mastodon - Link to source
MarkG
• •

Hello. Thanks for presenting these insights on the age verification issue. I do notice some people feel it is possible, as described in this article from two researchers at Queensland University and the University of Münster. I'm curious what your thoughts are on their article.

news.uq.edu.au/2026-02-age-ver…


Age verification online can be done safely and privately. Here’s how.

Online chat service Discord has announced it will begin testing age verification for some users, joining a growing list of platforms trying to work out who is actually behind the screen.
Dr Marten Risius and Dr Johannes Sedlmeir. (The University of Queensland)
⇧