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Ask Science @lemmy.world

l_b_i @pawb.social

7mo ago

With age verification pushes, are there studies that justify, or refute their need?

Whether it be social media use or access to pornography, are there valid studies that have looked into this? I feel like I've only seen anecdotes, or "inappropriate for children", but no evidence, studies, or journals to support this claim.

16 comments

Do you mean certain types of age verification, or any type at all?
- The question is what is the evidence based justification for the strict verification that is being pushed. The efficacy and implementation is a different question entirely.
  
  So you don't mean age declaration "please insert your date of birth to access this page" type, but the government ID type?
  Efficacy, risks and invasiveness are all related to justification imo.
  Here's one that compares each model and rates them: https://edri.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Online-age-verification-and-childrens-rights-EDRi-position-paper.pdf
  Is that similar to what you're looking for?
You'd look for studies about the effects of that stuff on developing minds. And then studies that show the efficacy of age verification on keeping underaged people out...
Are you saying you tried to find both of those and came up empty handed?
Or did you not try that and are just asking for someone to provide studies for you?
- More of the first one you mentioned. I tried once, and I had little luck. I found one that had what I thought was poor methodology. I didn't keep a link.
  
  I searched:
  effects of social media on developing minds
  And this was the first result on duckduckgo
  https://www.apa.org/news/apa/2022/social-media-children-teens
  It'll be easier to read than straight studies, but it cites a couple you could read if the article doesn't give enough info
- No, I'm looking for studies either way. Several have been linked here and I've glanced at them and plan on reading them a bit more in depth when I get some time.
What would be an example of something empirical that would justify age verification for social media use or pornography? Ultimately aren't these at worst empty / arbitrary moral panics and at best the realm of moral debate?
That is, you can't take observations and turn them into a normative system ("is" doesn't give you "ought"), so what exactly are you thinking can be studied here?
- I'm generally opposed to strict verification. To me the only thing that could justify it is a repeatable study that shows causation between something that the verification would restrict and a negative (not moral panic negative) outcome. Whenever its brought up the "think of the children" comments come out and I am skeptical. It often sounds like video games cause violence excuses. I wanted to know if there was actual justification because to me it seems like they are usually pushed by either religious groups or some group that wants to hoover up data. I have yet to see something beyond moral panic justifying the push.

16 comments