Privacy and verification

Yes, these are indeed other examples of the same insanity. Years ago, there was a lovely video where they gave items with “child-proof” caps to a bunch of little kids (I think NBC’s Today Show did it?) and some opened them in seconds. Others took minutes!

Pool fences are an amazing waste of money, remove the utility of the pool and make access impossible for many disabled people, as the same methods (e.g. high gate fittings) work even more effectively against wheelchair users than against children. (I still don’t understand why anti-discrimination legislation doesn’t trump the discriminatory pool-fence rules.)

While those are examples of appalling government interference, the current topic is even worse. At least “child-proof” caps slow children down. An Australian age-verification law would do nothing at all when most porn sites are hosted overseas anyhow, except drive even more traffic away from Australian sites that would have to comply.

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They are also the bane of the elderly and those with severe arthritis or one of several other conditions that make fiddly hand movements difficult or impossible.

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The same might be said of banking and the digital age, and personal identification. I know several older Australians who only have a bank passbook, and cash. The bills are paid over the counter at the local PO. One has never held a drivers license, hence zero photo ID. It would seem a hack proof strategy.

The dear lady was most upset when she was unable to change her phone account with Telstra due to a lack of photo ID, despite having a state seniors card and pension card, neither of which had photos. She had recently been able to have a new will drawn up without needing photo ID as proof of identity.

For her 90th we finally upgraded her, with a photo ID card, and now all seems fine. Except for a fear of having her identity stolen. Combine a lack of interest in some aspects of the modern world, a lifetime of evidence reinforcing mistrust of governments, and all the misdirected sensationalism in the press, it is little surprise.

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I agree, though my point was about physical capability whereas online banking and identity checks are more a function of changing community and business expectations beyond an individual’s ability to cope with such change.

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This does go against scientific and evidentiary data which shows a reduction in drowning because of pool fencing. What is the cost to a pool owner (emotional, financial etc) as a result of a pool drowing?

Yes they are 'inconvenient, but so are seat belts. One could argue that seatbelts discriminate against a particular community sector, but using this as an excuse not to use a seat belt doesn’t stack up.

Yes interesting video but not scientific. They didn’t indicate child proof caps were not a waste of time or resources, just 4 year old children after several minutes could open a cap.

Our child could open some child proof devices at the age 3-4, after watching us. Having a room full of people year olds watching each other open containers could also show they are good learners. I can’t find any scientific evidence indicating they have no value.

Correct me if I am wrong, but the story was about using multiple controls including removing hazardous products out of reach of chiodren, and not to rely on them as the only control.

4 year olds are also at an age where they start to understand what not to put in their mouths…it would have been interesting to know what peak age poisoning occurs (with or without child proof caps), whether poisoning occurs with products from child proof caps which has been opened by tye child or if poisoning occurs due to other accessable products (e.g. cleaning powder, tablets or liquids).

Child proof containers are a nuisance, but preventing poisoning, severe injury or death may warrant such a nuisance.

As with children access to adult content (and as indicated on the NBC video), it will take a suite of measure rather than relying on one (e.g parents taking control or making them responsible) to have any real effect.

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Ok team, is the discussion on security of safety caps and pool gates a topic on it’s own?

There was a modicum of discussion around kitchen aids that make opening jars and bottles easier in another topic.

I’m not that old, and tend to agree protecting kids from misadventure is important.

Enabling protection in ways that do not disadvantage older Aussies, or those with other needs, would also seem to be appropriate.

It seems a worthwhile topic?

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I agree that the Age Verification regime would do little to stem the underage use of porn. A connected world has likely increased the exposure of what is probably already at a reasonably high level now but I can foresee a still increasing trend.

As to the safety features of fences, caps etc these are tools to help reduce incidences of accidental injuries and deaths. They aren’t insanity and as others have said the risks have been reduced due to the implementation of these.

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If “a reduction in drowning” is your only criterion, then you might as well ban pools and lakes and beaches and rivers. Then there will be no drownings. (What? That’s impossible you say? Yes, about as much so as stopping access to web sites.) It’s just another nanny-state intrusion that should be dealt with by parents. It doesn’t need a “suite of measures”, just parents who pay attention and/or don’t put their kids in danger. (Note that I am not saying that pool fences are necessarily bad, just that forcing them on everyone is, because that’s forcing everyone else to cop the cost of other people’s neglect. anyone who wants to put one in because they have kids is welcome to do so.)

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Looks like there’s a tie in between this topic and another: Secrecy, privacy, security, intrusion

We have to have a facial recognition database because zomg the kids are looking at porn. Somebody think of the children.

But who is using whom? Or a marriage of equal evils?

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Oh dear … as if we need Australia Post to help with this?

I think they are confused - message to Australia Post - ‘Screwing Up’ mail and parcel delivery is NOT porn, its a different type of ‘screwing’ and while nobody wants to experience or watch your kind of screwing up, it does not need age verification … stand down …

One needs to be careful mixing terminology like that, or one could end up with quite different database content to what one might have expected :rofl:

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