[pardon_me]

The company should be responsible for providing options to block all or part of the content, and warn users of the content type, depending on their place in the pipeline.

For example, Apple and Google should provide tools for the parents to set up a device appropriately for a child, much like the shop should not sell alcohol to underage customers. Similarly, content producers should specifically need to label content targeted for children or specially 18+, like the producer of alcohol must warn customers on the label and inform the retailers.

Parents and caretakers need information to make an informed decisions before being able to consume the media themselves. They also need some granular tools on the device to avoid banning them entirely. The burden is shared between creator, distributor and consumer.

We already had laws for this and it makes sense for some type of access control to the open internet. The shocking part is the requirement for everyone to verify ID to multiple public and private institutions, more than once per.

An analogy for the UK now would be needing ID to enter the supermarket (access the internet), ID to look at anything aimed at adults and potentially harmful such as alcohol, chemicals, sugary food, medicine etc. (know "potentially harmful" subjects exist), ID to look at anything lawfully 18+ such as alcohol and cigarettes (view the content), then ID again to make the 18+ purchase from an account needing ID to open.

[sdoering]

Back in the day, I was able to enter a video rental store without ID. But the erotic section was cordoned of to my younger self.

Today, my younger self would go to Reddit, click any of the myriads of subreddits catering to any kink and just click "yes", when being prompted to ensure he is old enough to view NSFW content. Or on p*nhub. Or anywhere. I actually do not care for tobacco or liquor advertising. I did not become an lsd eating circle for playing PacMan. Nor did I become an alcoholic for watching hundreds hours of alcohol advertising till coming of age in Germany.

So why ask for an ID when entering the internet (supermarket) instead of fining the respective companies into oblivion, if they allow minors in? Why burden the tax payer with an infrastructure? Make the companies making a shitload of money pay for ensuring they adhere to the law. Because actually allowing minors access to hardcore porn is - at least here - already illegal. But hey, we can't enforce it, because it is the internet.

Sorry, but I am just not a fan of setting up a society wide system, that tells the big advertisers: This is a real person. Or even: This is Joe Schimansky from so and so, age this and that. This is not any data the likes of Meta or Google should have.

Nor should the government have a system in place that enables them to track who gets verified for what content.

If private entities want to make money from content that is not fit for minors - they need to pay to ensure it isn't accessed. Or carry the consequences.

I know, I can get riled up. But quite a few of these initiatives to me either smell like regulatory capture and/or like a convenient way of monitoring society.