In this episode of Tech Talks, we dive into the growing debate over online age verification. While often framed as a way to protect children, these policies carry major implications for how everyone, adults and children alike, accesses the internet. Unlike showing an ID at a bar, online age checks can require the collection and even long-term storage of sensitive personal data, raising serious privacy and security concerns.
The UK’s Online Safety Act has already pushed millions of users to prove their age across thousands of sites, from adult content to everyday topics like current affairs and even knitting. In the U.S., states including Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi are rolling out their own requirements, while federal lawmakers weigh new proposals that could expand these mandates even further.
Joining this conversation are Zeve Sanderson of NYU’s Center for Social Media and Politics, CDT Research Fellow Michal Luria, and guest host Aliya Bhatia, CDT Senior Policy Analyst. Together, they explore what users really think about age verification, how it changes online behavior, and what’s at stake for balancing child safety with privacy and free expression.

Talking Tech with Zeve Sanderson, Michal Luria, and Aliya Bhatia on Age Verification

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Read the transcript: https://www.ipvanish.com/podcasts/

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Tech Talks are a podcast imagined and created by the folks over at the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT). We're a 501(c)3 nonpartisan nonprofit organization that fights to put democracy and human rights at the center of the digital revolution. We work to promote democratic values by shaping technology policy and architecture, with a focus on equity and justice. #techtalkcdt 

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Talking Tech with Zeve Sanderson, Michal Luria, and Aliya Bhatia on Age Verification

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