Online age-verification tools spread across U.S. for child safety, but adults are being surveilled

New U.S laws designed for online child safety are pulling millions of adult Americans into mandatory age-verification gates that often use AI technology, and causing major headaches for social media companies attempting to strike a balance for users between legal compliance and privacy.

Roughly half of U.S. states have enacted or are advancing laws requiring platforms — including adult content sites, online gaming services, and social media apps — to block underage users.

Large volumes of sensitive identity data can become targets for government demands and hackers. But at a more fundamental level, the surveillance strikes at the foundation of the free and open internet, say civil liberties advocates, and last week a court decision in Virginia citing the First Amendment agreed.

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