Age Verification

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Go on, let's have a try at this. What is it on a computer, as in the Online Safety Act and this guff about Age ID before booting a computer.

Nanny state discovers Linux, demands it check kids' IDs before booting
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Age-verification laws target operating systems because apparently teenagers having root access is now a safeguarding crisis

https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/13/ ... /?td=rt-3a

There is a laptop, say. Or there is a website.

A bad actor establishes their own age verification. I have no idea what that consists of, not a clue. Anyone who knows, add it to the thread. Let's assume for the moment that it's a golden tattoo at the end of their arm which can pass a test at the laptop or on a challenge from the website.

The bad actor powers up the laptop with root privileges, or passes the authentication process of the website.

The bad actor then leaves the room, being replaced by an unauthorised minor who then uses the laptop or website.

Either this proposed legislation and the OSA are performative theatre or my instance is flawed or I'm talking nonsense. I'd be grateful for any insight. This age verification thing does, as it happens, annoy me since ForumGarden has to comply, and is compliant, and that glaring instance is still just as true despite the effort involved. ForumGarden has already had to change its settings to become "compliant" from the first round.