Pluralistic: There's no such thing as "age verification" (19 May 2026)

Today's links

There's no such thing as "age verification": The foreseeable and foreseen consequences of "something must be done"/"there, I've done something."
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Apple Stores exist; Responsible spam; Australia loves Hollywood('s copyright); TCP over Syrian donkey; Icelandic Pirate get funded; Algorithmic cruelty; Trump loves data brokers; Douglas Adams, vindicated; Blog history; Sex names; Flickr's Gamma; "Fuzzy Nation"; The Intercept publishes Snowden docs; Software version of CIA sabotage manual; Who owns covid vaccines? Anal clenching v depression; Web is 10; Danish birds x ringtones; Office-supply X-wing; Nintendo 3DS license sucks is unbelievably bad; Public Interest Internet.
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Recent appearances: Where I've been.
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Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

Austerity creates fascism: We can't afford to not afford nice things.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: The Server of Amontillado; Flapper's Dictionary; Mastercard v rec.humor.funny; Philippines electoral data breach; A front page from the Trump presidency; Spike Lee x Bernie Sanders; France v password hashing; Algorithms as Central European folk-dances; Save Comcast; Lex Luthor v export controls; Zuckerberg in the dock.
Upcoming appearances: Toronto, San Francisco, London, Berlin, NYC, Hay-on-Wye, London.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

How to fix the UK housing crisis: Reconverting homes to human rights, rather than assets.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: Theme park privacy; 3 strikes dead in Eire; HK ghost posters; Hotel wifi sucks; Facebook pays no UK tax; Econ research replicability crisis; Herd immunity.
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

Apple's encryption capitulation: They put the gun on the mantelpiece in Act One, they don't get to be surprised now.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

Keir Starmer appoints Jeff Bezos as his "first buddy": Regulatory capture, right there out in the open.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
Object permanence: 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, 2024
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

Expert agencies and elected legislatures: Legislatures are entitled to their own (political) opinions but not their own facts.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, 2023
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

UK publishers suing Google for $17.4b over rigged ad markets: Because tech steals publishers' money, not their content.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, 2023
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Where I've been.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

End of the line for corporate sovereignty: ISDSes are on the ropes, and not a moment too soon.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2014, 2019, 2023
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.

Palantir's NHS-stealing Big Lie: And the everyday miracle of Trusted Research Environments.
Hey look at this: Delights to delectate.
This day in history: 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, 2023
Upcoming appearances: Where to find me.
Recent appearances: Podcasts, events and more.
Latest books: You keep readin' em, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Upcoming books: Like I said, I'll keep writin' 'em.
Colophon: All the rest.