They actually want to avoid the liability of storing someone’s id.

The government wants to make these things illegal, but they also want to track every person on the internet through their government ID, so they create the problem (age restriction and id checks) because they have the planned solution: digital id for every computer!

Do you have your computer license? Do you? You think the internet is a psy-op and Big Brother’s watching you? Just wait until a government admin message pops up on your screen because you visited the wrong website.

You’re getting fined for spreading misinformation or receiving a letter for libel due to some offhand tweet about some famous person. Don’t worry about receiving a notice in the mail, if you have a printer they’ll make it print your ticket for you immediately.

Its easier to implement and less crazy than blocking VPNs. It also pushes back on other jurisdictions doing the same. I'd be amazed if this isn't what happens.

Indeed. ID laws are a wet dream of Meta and the like. Both because it gives them the unique ID the always wanted and because it is easier for them to comply than small upstarts.

Big websites will only have to do it for a little while though, a month perhaps. If suddenly Utah can't reach youtube or Netflix... Constituents will complain, the citizens simply won't have it, and then the legislators have a problem.

Your right, but I can imagine what it would be like, and that's something.

I might not underestimate how much big tech companies hate this too. They are pretty famous about despising all regulation of their space. I wouldn’t put it past them to block a backwater like Utah.