Bill S-210 is Just the Beginning: How a Canadian Digital Lobby Group is Promoting a Standard to “Foster Widespread Adoption of Age Verification Technologies in Canada”
https://www.michaelgeist.ca/2024/01/bill-s-210-is-just-the-beginning-how-a-canadian-digital-lobby-group-is-promoting-a-standard-to-foster-widespread-adoption-of-age-verification-technologies-in-canada/
@mgeist VPN services will make a killing if this goes through!
@Django @mgeist Commercial VPN services redirect your public Internet connection through another country. Even though you're accessing a site from Canada, the VPN connection makes Web sites believe you're located in, for example, Finland.
Authenticated age verification will be enforced only in countries where it's required based on the IP address of the incoming connection. From most other countries (Finland for example), visitors will only see the usual pop-up asking them if they're over 18.
@Django @mgeist Since your VPN service makes Web sites believe you're in Finland instead of Canada, Canadian law no longer applies (yes, a very gray zone).
VPNs also have other benefits such as evading geoblocking on sites like TV networks, news sites, and YouTube. Can't watch that America-only video in Canada? Just connect to a USA server on your VPN service and pretend you're in the USA!
@Milnoc @mgeist ah I see what you mean, I was assuming some of these services will start using Age Verification across the board, which seems less likely.
There is the chance however that with each country enacting these types of laws (as we can with Kosa), the providers and lobby will gain strength making such decisions more likely.