Episode 65: The Problem with Age Verification

Alan Chapell is joined by Professor Jess Miers, visiting assistant professor of the University of Akron School of Law. Jess and Alan discuss some of the inherent challenges around protecting kids on the internet, and how those challenges are increasingly leading policymakers to age verification as the solution. While Alan is curious to see how this approach plays out in Australia, both Jess and Alan are skeptical that age verification will be good for kids or privacy in general. 

Professor Miers’ Bio: https://www.uakron.edu/law/faculty/directory/profile.dot?u=jmiers 

Chapell Regulatory Insider: https://chapellreport.substack.com/ 

Takeaways

• Jess Miers’ career transitioned from policy work to academia, finding a place to express her views freely.
• Parents face significant challenges in monitoring their children's online activities.
• The impact of social media on youth mental health is complex and multifaceted.
• More and more places worldwide are turning to age verification. 
• The U.S. legal landscape regarding age verification is evolving and is currently impeded due to First Amendment concerns.
• Advertisers must navigate a nebulous landscape regarding content directed at minors.
• Data privacy and security concerns are heightened with age verification requirements.
• Education of both parents and children is essential in addressing online safety.
• While these issues haven’t squarely hit the ad space just yet, Alan thinks that the post-COPPA 1.0 world will hit the ad space hard.

Chapters:

00:01 Welcome + where Jess is calling from 

00:36 Policy to academia + why it fits 

02:07 Viral CA testimony moment 

04:52 What problem age verification is trying to solve 

07:03 Youth harm evidence and why causality is nuanced 

10:27 Australia: under-16 ban and early consequences 

13:54 Europe/UK: “age assurance,” feature limits, and gating 

16:37 US: First Amendment and shifting legal strategies 

22:55 Why age verification is risky: anonymity + data honeypots 

44:28 Where to find Jess + wrap; transcript ends

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