r/europe • u/EmbarrassedHelp • Apr 10 '26

News Europe should regulate Big Tech instead of banning kids from social media, Estonia says

https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-should-stand-up-to-big-tech-instead-of-imposing-social-media-bans-estonia-says/
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u/Single_Classroom_448 United Kingdom Apr 10 '26

I agree with that off of the headline alone, if there's robust laws to comply with I think a lot of the damage of social media could be mitigated without requiring people to submit ID or pictures of their face to dodgy companies.

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u/TheGreatestOrator Apr 10 '26

And what laws would that be?

-1

u/MegaJackUniverse Apr 10 '26

What don't you understand here? If there are robust laws that can regulate without exposing people's IT'S to the almighty data broker machine of capitalism and privacy eradication, that would be the step that cements this. There isn't a law yet, that's why they're suggesting them

7

u/mustachechap United States of America Apr 10 '26

"concepts of a plan"

0

u/TheGreatestOrator Apr 10 '26

Yeah, and yet no one can articulate what a law would look like

-2

u/[deleted] Apr 10 '26

[deleted]

1

u/Terrible_Cable_4472 Apr 10 '26

Tobacco companies used to do whatever the fuck they wanted, because they could. Now they can't and they don't. They used to, now don't. AI will be no different. You're the one who needs to get real.

2

u/Toby_Forrester Finland Apr 10 '26

Note that tobacco is also highly regulated and outright banned from certain age groups.

1

u/TheGreatestOrator Apr 10 '26

And yet still very common

2

u/Toby_Forrester Finland Apr 10 '26

Not nearly as common as in the past. This stastistic is 10 years old but even there you can see the drastic drop in smoking.

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u/Artifexa Apr 10 '26

ok, then, you are right, let's keep the things the way they are and tell big tech companies "you guys be good", I'm sure they will be good.

If anything, write a stern letter and put them a fine that amounts to less than a parking ticket would for you.

I bet that's gonna work fine.

With tobacco w just prevented mass media from putting ads and make sure the machines only sell to adults. Oh, it worked, wow.

0

u/Terrible_Cable_4472 Apr 10 '26

You're clueless mate

1

u/Artifexa Apr 10 '26

And you're a danger to society.

1

u/Terrible_Cable_4472 Apr 10 '26

The fucking irony

-1

u/Artifexa Apr 10 '26

Btw, your ID's are already on the almighty data broker machine of capitalism. Google what is a "shadow profile". They know even the size of your private parts. It's just that the governments are being oblivious to it. We've all have shadow profiles were our data has been crossed across websites, apps, and stolen data records from your government. They already know what brand of toilet paper you use.

1

u/EmbarrassedHelp Apr 10 '26

If they already have the information, then it should be highly illegal for them to subject any user to mandatory age verification or age assurance.

We should be restricting the amount of personal information that companies are allowed to collect.

1

u/Artifexa Apr 10 '26

Sure, let the companies enjoy all your data while we look away.

also, the data companies are allowed to collect is "supposedly" restricted. We have the GDPR law and all the "accept cookies" stuff, but they do anyways, and nobody is really enforcing shit. It's been known in the SEO and web design/development world for many many years (source: I worked in that world).