Age verification technology is becoming increasingly commonplace as lawmakers seek to enact deeply concerning restrictions in the name of “child safety.”

My WaPo colleague, reporter Drew Harwell, joins to discuss the threats to our freedom of speech, expression, and privacy this new software unlocks.

00:00 Intro
00:13 Why age verification tools are becoming more commonplace
00:55 The rise of age verification tools in tech
02:20 How age verification tech actually works
02:48 Age verification IRL
04:14 Is age verification accurate?
06:03 Discrimination
08:19 The platforms most affected
09:24 Age regulation on the open web
11:19 The myth of kids online safety
14:30 The dangers of age verification tech
15:56 The hypocrisy of lawmakers
16:49 Data privacy risks
18:21 The moral panic around kids and online safety
20:52 Beyond social media
23:43 Pornhub
25:55 China
27:47 People fighting back