[takinola]

> It is also important to note that introducing such measures would require everyone to identify themselves online, which could mean that people over the age limit are excluded

This seems like a solvable problem. Imagine there is an age verification authority that people can use to prove their age (upload a drivers' license or something). Websites can issue a cryptographic challenge for age verification that does not include the details of the website. The user then completes the challenge at the verification authority and is issued a token (that does not include the true identity of the user) proving they meet the required criteria. This way, the users' online activity is shielded from the verification authority and the users' true identity is shielded from the website.

Of course, none of this solves the problem of having someone else log in for you but that's a different issue.

[Eddy_Viscosity2]

Unless this system can easily be used to track and surveil people online, zero chance of it getting implemented.

[bigfatkitten]

What happens when, as a service provider you need to verify users in 190 different countries? That's at least 190 different age verification platforms you might need to integrate with. Probably 50 just for the USA.

These regulations do not necessarily apply only to the major platforms. If you run a phpBB forum in Australia with a few dozen old guys discussing steam trains, you will also be in scope of Australia's proposed regulations; that is a "social media" platform.

[takinola]

If this happens, someone will build an aggregator that interfaces with all the 190 different services.