>All this age verification stuff is pseudoscience and more importantly it isn't tested or standardized at all. It's just theater

<lightbulb moment>

Abdicating responsibility, standards and government enforcement are three of white collar America's favorite things.

Seems like an opportunity for someone to become a billionaire by creating a standardization and licensing agency and then paying for some shills to get the ball rolling. Give it 5yr and everyone will have to do business with you lest the feds kick in their door. Give it 10yr and the useful idiots will be in the comment section talking about how XYZ age verification mechanism must be good because it's "certified" by your garbage and that the sky will fall if we get rid of it.

I hope I'm too jaded, but frankly I don't think I'm jaded enough.

They are trying for it that's for sure. It reminds me of the us war on drugs for some reason. Obviously I don't want kids doing drugs but it had ludicrous takes that were terrible for society. I guess there aren't enough wars going on? Have to go to war against the Internet or something now.