Anyone who thinks this shit is about "protecting children" is either hopelessly naive or wilfully ignorant.

Online Age Verification Law Could Designed To Kill Whistleblowing

FTFT.

Don't we all just love it when even (supposedly) "leftist" media uses such limpwristed and mealy-mouthed language?

It already passed the house, didn't it?

could kill whistleblowing

The lawmakers in question:

Requiring platforms to collect less data, not more, is a better approach.

Mega archive link

Use fake IDs, encourage people to use and make fake IDs. Share tools to make fake IDs. They need to know how stupid and overbearing said laws are. Bonus if you make said Fake IDs and their generation easily accessible to kids.

If privacy and anonymity is a crime, then commit crimes to get it. Make sure other people think this thought too. Don't stay silent about it. That's what they want you to do.

And killing whistleblowing, along with free speech and device ownership, is the intention.

Send your whistleblowing information directly to the media. There is a purpose built service for this but I can never remember the of it.

Don't give them more reasons to pass it.

Billionaire-owned media companies will sure hide it well, though.

It's not a bug, it's a feature

No shit. That's the point.