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Comment by adestefan | Hacker News Reader

Meta and their lobbyists have been pounding advertising in the DC media market on TV, radio, and the Washington Post under all their brands about how they now support the government trying to mandate parents rights to limit access. First it was Instagram branded, but I've seen ads for their other brands lately as well.

It started when the Surgeon General released the report on the effects of social media usage on adolescent health [0].

[0] https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/youth-mental-h...

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Yes. Ever wonder why?

Because this will further destroy *all* privacy on the internet. The only way to prove you're not a kid is to fully identify yourself. The only alternative is to not use social media --- goodbye HN.

Anonymity has only been a reality for IT experts and the rich that can afford to hire them since 9/11. Limiting social media and online activity will lower your exposure to privacy invasive techniques, but certainly not eliminate it. Take one trip on a bus, subway, or airline and you'll have dozens of smartphone camera's in your face, often times recording video/audio.

The penetration of privacy invasive technology is so deep now that aside from hiding in the mountains or under a rock, it's nearly impossible to avoid. However, then your isolated. Whatever deviant ideology you felt needed to be protected by privacy laws, you've now effectively self-censored. Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange spoke about this over a decade ago.

The fight isn't about privacy as much as it is about targeting people who's ideology is considered dangerous to the Billionaires.

Metas official position even internally is that people LIKE getting personalized ads. Can you even imagine? That’s the koolaid they told us. When ATT dropped they complained to people and regulators that now people will have to get regular ads and they love getting personalized ads. The company needs to be banned

people LIKE getting personalized ads.

Alrighty then. I see an easy, obvious way forward.

Let those who LIKE it opt in and verify their age/identity.

There is a reason why they don't do this.

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