> This is a problem [..]

(This is a genuine question) please could you describe the underlying problem that age verification is attempting to solve?

Not my point in the comment but my personal opinion:

To regulate access to addicting material. This is done in the physical world - why should digital be lawless when it applies to the same human behaviors?

I've been addicted to a lot of digital media parts in harmful ways and I had the luck and support to grow out of most of it. A lot of people are not that lucky.

I don't think that's what the original comment was discussing at all...

If governments want to require private companies to verify ages, those same governments need to provide accessible ways for their citizens to get verification documents, starting from the same age that is required.