The DOB field is different from name and address because it is a fixed attribute that never changes
(Preface: I’m not really disagreeing with your larger point)
This is not really correct though. I have a computer and I’m in my 50s. So it’s in 50 year old mode. Now my grandson who is 7 is in front of my computer. What utility is the fixed age that was gathered years ago in protecting the actual child user in that case?
Fair point. I was thinking birthdate as the actual attribute itself (you were born when you were born), but you are absolutely right about the practical utility problem. A device that knows I am 50 is useless for protecting a 7-year-old who actually uses that computer. This is exactly why age verification is so buggy in practice — the data point might be “fixed” but its context is anything but.
Yeah not even trying to be difficult about it but multiple people use computers*, like multiple people might watch a TV. Which is why it was decided forever ago that responsibility lies the parents who own the device rather than collectively all of society like is being requested here.
(* I’ve seen it pointed out lots of times that a lot of Linux instances are also not ever really used by any particular person, like in an IOT device like a motion sensor, or a fridge or just a bunch of virtual instances as well; really this whole thing doesn’t make any fucking sense on a lot of levels)
(Preface: I’m not really disagreeing with your larger point) This is not really correct though. I have a computer and I’m in my 50s. So it’s in 50 year old mode. Now my grandson who is 7 is in front of my computer. What utility is the fixed age that was gathered years ago in protecting the actual child user in that case?
Fair point. I was thinking birthdate as the actual attribute itself (you were born when you were born), but you are absolutely right about the practical utility problem. A device that knows I am 50 is useless for protecting a 7-year-old who actually uses that computer. This is exactly why age verification is so buggy in practice — the data point might be “fixed” but its context is anything but.
Yeah not even trying to be difficult about it but multiple people use computers*, like multiple people might watch a TV. Which is why it was decided forever ago that responsibility lies the parents who own the device rather than collectively all of society like is being requested here.
(* I’ve seen it pointed out lots of times that a lot of Linux instances are also not ever really used by any particular person, like in an IOT device like a motion sensor, or a fridge or just a bunch of virtual instances as well; really this whole thing doesn’t make any fucking sense on a lot of levels)