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Online Age Verification Rules Are Popping Up Everywhere. Here’s What You Need to Know

Most states across the US are considering or introducing age verification laws. The result right now is a mishmash of rules.

The internet is full of perils — this we know. 

Among the rich trove of content we have at our fingertips is a combination of legal material, illegal material and material that falls into a gray area — often referred to in vague terms as «harmful.» This is the kind of content that might be appropriate for anyone with a fully developed prefrontal cortex to view but that you wouldn’t necessarily want your kids stumbling across.

In the past, accessing such content has been easy, regardless of age. You’ve been able to tick a box declaring yourself older than 18 or 21, or input a false birth date with no hassle. But that’s beginning to change.

Last month the UK became one of the first countries to mandate that tech companies verify the age of people using online services where they might be exposed to harmful content, including pornography. I’m a British citizen, and within the first few days of the rules coming into force, I was required to verify my age on Bluesky and Reddit. And it’s just the start.

Age verification is coming for you no matter where you live. Most states across the US are considering or introducing age verification laws. The result right now is a mishmash of rules, some fully cooked, others half-baked, with a lot currently unknown.

One thing you can be sure about is that age verification will impact your internet use at some point in the near future, if it hasn’t already happened. Here’s what you need to know.

What are the pros and cons of age verification?

The obvious, straightforward argument in favor of age verification is that we need to make the internet a safer place for kids.

The arguments against are more complex and varied. 

Concerns about privacy encompass doubts about how securely your data will be stored and processed during the verification process (see the Tea App data breach), and extend to whether the systems being put in place could potentially be used to track people’s internet use. 

Questions remain about whether the classification of «harmful content» could lead to people being restricted from accessing important information, such as sex education, health and political content. This could potentially amount to free speech violations.

Critics argue as well that by making legal adult content harder to access, people, including children, might go in search of illegal content instead — potentially pushing them into even more dangerous corners of the internet.

Online rights organizations including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Open Rights Groups have been vocal about the potential perils of age verification legislation and are closely tracking the impact of laws as they come into force.

How does age verification work?

There are various methods by which you might be asked to verify your age on the internet. This could involve showing a government ID; running banking, mobile carrier or credit card checks; or using a digital identity service where your verified age is stored in a wallet.

You could also be asked to use tech that estimates your age, such as email address verification that can link you to utility companies you may be signed up with. More commonly, you may be asked to submit a selfie, which will be analyzed to predict your likely age. This tech isn’t foolproof — after it was introduced in the UK, reports circulated of people spoofing the technology by showing it characters from video games.

Some tech platforms are introducing their own proprietary technology to verify people’s ages but the more common approach is to rely on third-party services specializing in digital age verification.

In most cases, verification is used to age-gate certain features — direct messages, for example — to limit access among children, rather than to exclude them entirely. In others, especially for pornography and adult content sites, it could be used to block access entirely.

Is my state introducing age verification rules?

At least 41 age verification bills have been discussed, introduced, rejected or passed at state level in the US. Some states have made multiple attempts to introduce legislation, so this figure does not reflect the number of states engaging with the issue.

Leading the way was Louisiana, which in 2022 required sites that classified more than 33.33% of its content as adult to verify people’s ages. This opened the floodgates for more bills to follow. If you want to see if your state is taking action, you can check out the Free Speech Coalition’s Age Verification Bill Tracker.

One especially notable moment during the influx of age verification legislation occurred in June of this year. Following two years of legal challenges, the Supreme Court upheld a 2023 Texas law requiring pornography sites to verify people’s ages. The ruling, which said that minors do not have a First Amendment right to access sexual material, will likely pave the way for other states to follow suit.

There also have been two attempts to bring in legislation at the federal level, through bills introduced by Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Rep. Greg Steube of Florida, both in 2023. Neither has yet progressed beyond that early stage.

Arguably federal level laws would be easier for people to understand and tech companies to comply with than the array of rules coming in at state level.

How are tech companies responding?

For tech companies, age verification presents a complex challenge. After years of pressure to protect younger people using their services, they are in some cases now legally obligated to do so — and risk penalties if they fail to comply. 

In the UK, the law allows companies to choose their own verification technique and services are largely provided by third-party companies, such as Yoti. The law extends beyond pornography sites to social media — that’s why I had to verify my age to use Bluesky and Reddit, so I could use DMs on the former and access certain subreddits on the latter.

In the US, Bluesky isn’t finding it so easy to comply with local laws. Last week, the company said it would be blocking access to the platform for people with Mississippi IP addresses because of the state’s age assurance law.

«Mississippi’s approach would fundamentally change how users access Bluesky,» it said in a blog post. «We know this is disappointing for our users in Mississippi, but we believe this is a necessary measure while the courts review the legal arguments.»

It’s not the only online service that’s been deterred from operating in specific jurisdictions because of age assurance rules. Pornhub is currently blocked in 21 US states because of various local laws it feels it can’t comply with.

That’s not to say age assurance laws automatically preclude these services from operating. Bluesky is still able to operate in the UK, for example. Meanwhile Pornhub can still be accessed in Louisiana, the first state to introduce age verification rules, because of the state’s reliance on third-party system LA Wallet to verify people’s ages, rather than requiring Pornhub to introduce its own system.

Some tech companies are also getting ahead of regulation by proactively introducing age assurance methods across their entire services.

Last month, gaming platform Roblox, which has come under fire for not doing enough to keep kids safe, introduced age verification for teens who want to chat with one another. Also in July, YouTube rolled out its AI-powered age-estimation technology to determine whether viewers are younger than 18, and restrict certain types of content accordingly. On a Facebook support page, information about age verification techniques suggests that Meta is also preparing to introduce more concrete efforts to determine the ages of people using its platforms.

Is it possible to bypass age verification?

Like death and taxes, online age verification is quickly becoming one of life’s inevitabilities. That doesn’t mean everyone is complying.

The primary method people are using to bypass verification is via VPNs. The week the UK’s Online Safety Act came into force, free VPNs shot up Apple’s App Store rankings, suggesting many people were attempting to avoid verifying their ages.

We don’t recommend using free VPNs, as they tend to offer slower speeds and collect your data, but a paid alternative could be an option for you if you’re determined to prioritize your privacy at all costs.

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My Teen Loves Her Apple AirPods Pro 2 and You Will Too With This $100 Off Deal for Black Friday

Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 have everything you could want from a pair of wireless earbuds, plus a steep discount.

Black Friday deals: The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are some of the best personal audio gear on the market, even if they aren’t the latest model anymore. Sure, Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 are the newest earbuds in the lineup but the AirPods Pro 2 are still an excellent pick for most people.

They’re an even better buy this week during early Black Friday sales when you can get your hands on a pair of Apple AirPods Pro 2 at a discount. Right now, Walmart is shaving a massive $100 off the AirPods Pro 2, dropping the cost to $139. That’s one of the lowest prices we’ve seen — but we doubt this deal will stick around for long.

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My 13-year-old daughter loves her music and her privacy, and for years she has wanted a pair of AirPods. They’re not cheap so I’ve only been getting her more budget options, like the Amazon Echo Buds, as a result. These kept seemingly disappearing, though, so I finally ponied up for the AirPods Pro 2.

I picked them up during last year’s sales, and they were definitely well-received. She’s happy, she uses them every day, and she hasn’t lost them yet. The AirPods Pro 2 are currently on sale at Walmart for $139, a nice price for a high-quality pair like these, and one of the lowest we’ve seen.

What about the AirPods Pro 3?

The AirPods Pro 3 weren’t available at the time I bought the AirPods Pro 2, but they were rumored, and I didn’t wait to see what they offered. As CNET’s resident headphone expert, David Carnoy summarized in his AirPods Pro 3 and Pro 3 comparison, the newer model is «significantly improved in the four most important areas: fit, sound quality, noise cancellation and battery life.» They also have heart-rate monitoring, like the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2.

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While these are undoubtedly all important things, a lot of people aren’t going to notice the differences or make the most of the new features. With the AirPods Pro 3 being newer, they’re on a smaller sale and are currently available at Amazon for $220, which is $30 off the list price.

Why I didn’t get the AirPods 4 instead

Why did I choose AirPods Pro 2 instead of the AirPods 4 with ANC? First, as I mentioned in another article about a different pair of earbuds I bought, I think sealed, in-ear buds are better than open-design models like the AirPods 4. The seal creates another layer of noise isolation and contributes to superior sound quality, and if you want to pay attention to the world you can always engage ambient sound mode, which Apple calls transparency mode. 

Also a factor was that, at the time, Carnoy considered the Pro 2 the best Apple noise-canceling wireless earbuds: «While we’re quite impressed with those new models — and with the AirPods 4 ANC in particular — the AirPods Pro 2 remain arguably the best Apple AirPods you can buy if you don’t mind having silicone ear tips jammed in your ears,» he said.

My daughter uses earplugs all the time to help her sleep, so she definitely qualifies as somebody who’s comfortable stuffing things in her ears. Like her fingers, when I start using words like «sigma,» «skibidi» and «relatable» to try to relate to her.

I asked Carnoy about the Pro 2s potentially not fitting in her kid-size ears and he reassured me that the range of eartips that come with the Pro 2s «now include XS, so they should fit.» 

Do AirPods make a great gift?

It took me years to finally understand, but yes, for someone looking for wireless earbuds, AirPods — especially the Apple AirPods Pro 2 — make the perfect gift, regardless of whether you’re a teenage girl. 

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If You’re Flying for the Holidays, This Bluetooth Dongle Transforms In-Flight Movies, and It’s 35% Off for Black Friday

Watch airplane movies just like you would at home with this game-changing device.

Air travel for the holidays can be stressful, especially when winter weather or flight delays force a change of plans, but one perk of flying still remains — watching new-release movies. However, in-flight entertainment on most airlines usually requires a wired set of earbuds. (And the ones the airline hands out are so bad they may as well not even be connected.) 

I’d far prefer to use my wireless, noise-canceling AirPods Pro, but they connect only via Bluetooth. There’s a simple tech solution that makes viewing movies on the plane feel more like watching them on your couch.

The AirFly is a simple Bluetooth dongle that allows me to connect my wireless earbuds directly to the airplane’s entertainment system, eliminating the need for adapters or wired workarounds. 

It’s become a must-pack item in my travel bag. Since I started using it, I’ve stopped dreading in-flight audio and finally get to enjoy movies on the plane. If you fly often, this little gadget could completely change how you travel. And the base level AirFly SE is 35% off for Black Friday at Amazon.

The AirFly Pro lets me enjoy in-flight entertainment

The AirFly Pro from Twelve South is a minimally designed dongle that allows me to connect to the 3.5mm headphone jack in my airplane seat, enabling me to listen to in-flight entertainment on my noise-canceling earbuds.

All I have to do is pair the AirFly with the Bluetooth headphones I’m using, such as my AirPods Pro, plug the AirFly into the display in front of me, and I’m all set. I don’t even need to use my phone to connect the two devices.

There are several versions of the AirFly: the AirFly SE, which is currently on sale for $26 on Amazon and connects to just one set of headphones, the AirFly Pro at $55, the Pro V2 at $60 and the Pro 2 Deluxe at $70, which comes with an international headphone adapter and a suede travel case.

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I use the AirFly Pro, which has been a game-changer for me on flights. I’ve never had to worry about battery life since the AirFly Pro lasts for over 25 hours and can be fully charged in just three hours. I can also pair two separate pairs of headphones to a single AirFly Pro, in case I’m with someone else on a flight and want to watch the same movie or show. 

And if that’s not enough, the AirFly Pro also doubles as an audio transmitter, allowing me to turn any speaker with a headphone jack, such as my old car stereo, into a Bluetooth speaker.

The AirFly Pro makes a great gift for any traveler

The AirFly Pro is the perfect present to give to someone who’s planning to travel this year. Besides my Anker MagSafe battery pack, the AirFly Pro has become my most treasured travel accessory when I fly, which is why I consider it one of those can’t-go-wrong gifts. 

For more travel gear, here are our favorite tech essentials to travel with and our favorite travel pillows.

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Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for Nov. 24, #897

Today’s Connections puzzle is kind of tough. Here are hints, answers and help for Nov. 24, #897.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is kind of tough. The purple category once again wants you to find hidden words inside other words. If you need help sorting the words into groups, you’re in the right place. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Like an air fryer.

Green group hint: In your vehicle.

Blue group hint: Take out your laptops, dump out your water.

Purple group hint: Like a rainbow.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Small kitchen appliances.

Green group: Features of a car’s center console.

Blue group: Seen while going through airport security.

Purple group: Ending in colors.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is small kitchen appliances. The four answers are blender, microwave, rice cooker and toaster.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is features of a car’s center console. The four answers are air conditioner, cup holder, radio and shifter.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is seen while going through airport security. The four answers are bin, carry-on, metal detector and X-ray.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ending in colors. The four answers are infrared, marigold, stingray and ultraviolet.

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Toughest Connections puzzles

We’ve made a note of some of the toughest Connections puzzles so far. Maybe they’ll help you see patterns in future puzzles.

#5: Included «things you can set,» such as mood, record, table and volleyball.

#4: Included «one in a dozen,» such as egg, juror, month and rose.

#3: Included «streets on screen,» such as Elm, Fear, Jump and Sesame.

#2: Included «power ___» such as nap, plant, Ranger and trip.

#1: Included «things that can run,» such as candidate, faucet, mascara and nose.

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