I like this. I'm just worried that it's going to make it way harder to create new independent small websites, if the webmasters have to check their users' age.

Well no-one said they have to implement it themselves. I'm sure Google and Apple are willing to send a hardware-signed attestation that the device owner is 18+ if required bu the state.

I think this is by design. I think small independent new websites will cease to exist.

I'm generally supportive of bans like this, but I don't want it to come at the expense of the privacy of adult users. I fear this is the way we're going in the west.

"The rules ... apply to platforms with at least 8 million users..."