These days a computer is pretty much another lobe of your brain. What happens when we actually have computers embedded inside of us? Are they going to restrict access to our own cognition?
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There's an episode of Black Mirror about exactly that and it was hella depressing. I think it starred Chris O'Dowd and Mya Rudolph, who are both usually really funny actors, but it was the opposite of funny.
Rashida Jones*
S7 E1 "Common People". I had to stop watching towards the end because I nearly threw up.
words? Where we're going to we don't need words
imagine government regulating what kinds of feelings are allowed in mind ads
we're screwed
These days a computer is pretty much another lobe of your brain.
That's bad, you know that's bad right?
I know where you're coming from. I'd say it's algorithm driven and platform centric consumption that's bad. If things were more open, it'd be easier to use things like RSS readers to control your influences. The laws should be enforcing open standards, not closing things down.
It can be bad, but it doesn't have to be. It's not bad if you're just using it as a tool and understand that it's not your only tool. Heavy equipment operators use their machines like extensions of their body. It doesn't mean it's bad or that they forget how to use their arms and legs or that they don't still exercise their arms and legs sometimes. Use tools when it's appropriate to and don't when it isn't, and always make sure you can use a variety of different tools including the ones you were born with and you'll be fine.
Very insightful and well written! These Age verification laws are going too far and were never about the kids to being with.
Should this method of age attestation become the standard, apps and websites will not assume liability when a signal is not provided and assume the lowest age bracket. Any Linux distribution that does not provide an age bracket signal will result in a nerfed internet for their users
Fuck just as I commented yesterday about this BS entering Linux kernel, it can become new reality
Oh my God it's gonna happen. Teenagers are gonna start learning to install hacked Linux distros that lie about their age for access to porn. This might actually be the biggest boon for tech literacy ever.
isn't this just asking your age when the OS is installed? in that case can't they just install any non-hacked distro and lie? there's no verification, is there?
Depends on the state/law. Also from the blog
It can get worse. New York’s proposed Senate Bill S8102A requires adults to prove they’re adults to use a computer, exercise bike, smart watch, or car if the device is internet enabled with app ecosystems. The bill explicitly forbids self-reporting and leaves the allowed methods to regulations written by the Attorney General. Practical methods for a bill of such extreme breadth would require, in many instances, providing private information to a third-party just to use a computer at all. Privacy disappears.
After reading that it sure seems like they said a lot just to say that in the end they’ll probably end up complying.
They outline the issues from their perspective.
What else should they do? Break their own licence model (which prohibits (geographic) discrimination) or break the law? It's either one of those two or comply.
Thank you for distilling that.
It's crazy how much a single state in a single country can potentially dictate how we use our own tech
This is going to end up in the Supreme Court as a First Amendment challenge because if code is speech, then age verification is code and therefore compelled speech by the government.
Anybody who complies with this is a fucking sheep. We need people who will stand up and strip age verification code out of any Linux operating system that dares to implement it. For example, if Ubuntu implements it, we need somebody to stand up, strip the verification code out of it, and then release it as Ubuntu free or whatever.
Last week in Cabo, Mexico, an adult friend thought it would be hilarious to add El Mencho to a picture of our dinner outing, text it to his parents, and tell them we met a new “friend”. He asked ChatGPT to add El Mencho to a photo. It refused. My under-13 child said “oh, I got this”, found a photo of El Mencho, asked ChatGPT to add the person from the photo to the dinner party photo and voilà, we’re enjoying drinks with El Mencho. Our friend's parents asked what’s wrong with him. I was an impressed Dad.
This is indeed some very touching story, dinner with a leader of CJNG? At that point I would ask how the hell do you even know his name but
Mmmm
Anyone in Mexico knows that name, and just because you don't see the humor in it, doesn't mean it's bad. It's dark humor and we have a lot of it in Mexico
That's a lot of fancy words to say they're bending the knee
A relatively small company can't afford to fight a protracted legal battle or simply ignore the law. They have employees with families, and $800/hr for legal representation adds up fast, not to mention potentially getting hit with $6500 fines per infraction for refusal to comply. They also can't afford to just not sell in California, which has a huge chunk of the US population.
We don't have to be happy about the state of things, but it's not their fault that capitalism and authoritarianism have effectively forced them to comply.
Be upset by all means, but remember to focus your anger upon those who actually put/is putting these laws in place.
Nah, I actively choose to be mad at people who comply with this shit.
The politicians and oligarchs are always going to be shit no matter what. That's a fundamental law of the universe. Everyone else has a choice.
Louis Rossmann does a pretty good job of covering the choice between complying and going out of business from his own experience. https://youtube.com/watch?v=eCtWeNwOb9w
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
