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@transicorn@mastodon.social · 6 days ago

I've used the #Fediverse, mostly #Mastodon for over 8 years. Should #AgeVerification come to .social that will end my time here. Should Age Verification come to most other large instances, that will end my time on the Fediverse as it will no longer be a place that is safe or sane for #LGBTQIA folks, especially us #Transgender folks living in many places where governments are actively restricting our rights.

https://blog.joinmastodon.org/2026/02/connecting-the-world-through-thriving-online-communities/

Network Health: Redefine what it means to be safe on Mastodon

Everyone on today’s internet is directly exposed to regulations like GDPR, the Digital Services Act (DSA), the Digital Markets Act (DMA), and lately numerous age verification (or assurance) laws and related social media bans for minors. We will perform a regulatory audit to ensure full legal compliance of our own servers, and explore how this knowledge can be shared with the community. We are also forming an interdisciplinary age-verification working group, to help us navigate the complex nature of these international laws. Simultaneously, the team will draft and publish new community guidelines and moderation policies for the servers we operate. Additionally, we are updating the terms of service (we ran a community consultation on this in October 2025) and privacy policy for our own servers. — Network Health: Redefine what it means to be safe on Mastodon Everyone on today’s internet is directly exposed to regulations like GDPR, the Digital Services Act (DSA), the Digital Markets Act (DMA), and lately numerous age verification (or assurance) laws and related social media bans for minors. We will perform a regulatory audit to ensure full legal compliance of our own servers, and explore how this knowledge can be shared with the community. We are also forming an interdisciplinary age-verification working group, to help us navigate the complex nature of these international laws. Simultaneously, the team will draft and publish new community guidelines and moderation policies for the servers we operate. Additionally, we are updating the terms of service (we ran a community consultation on this in October 2025) and privacy policy for our own servers.

Mastodon Blog

Connecting the world through thriving online communities

A message from our Executive Director about Mastodon's vision and mission.

Crackhappy

@crackhappy@cyberpunk.lol · 6 days ago

@transicorn I absolutely will *not* participate in any fediverse instance that requires identity verification in any way.

🦄 🅃🅁🄰🄽🅂🄸🄲🄾🅁🄽 🏳️‍⚧️

@transicorn@mastodon.social · 6 days ago

@crackhappy Well, the thing is, #Mastodon is not going to be exempt from local laws worldwide requiring it. How they do it is the issue to me.

If a user signs up from an IP address known to reside in a place that requires #AgeVerification, that's something all #Fedi instances are going to have to deal with at some point or risk legal issues. The sane way to do it imo is how NSFW Adult sites are handling it.

https://mastodon.social/@transicorn/116087118144339879

Cassandrich

@dalias@hachyderm.io · 5 days ago

@transicorn @crackhappy Unless the instance has legal presence in that jurisdiction the only thing they need to do is show it a big 🖕

No need to restrict users under malicious regimes you're not subject to from accessing your service.

khm

@khm@hj.9fs.net · 5 days ago

I'm not implementing age verification on my instance, and I don't care what laws apply or don't apply. I'm not getting into some stupid shell game with my hosting, either. The only proper response to unjust laws is "lol, no" and total deliberate noncompliance

CC: @transicorn@mastodon.social @crackhappy@cyberpunk.lol

🦄 🅃🅁🄰🄽🅂🄸🄲🄾🅁🄽 🏳️‍⚧️

@transicorn@mastodon.social · 6 days ago

While i can appreciate the legal requirements instances have, i live in a place where #AgeVerification is NOT mandatory for minors or adults.

Most Adult sites now approach this on an individual basis for visitors. ie. You're in a state that requires it for NSFW content and can't access the site unless providing your #ID or using a #VPN.

That would be one way i could support this as it leaves the responsibility to the user to not violate these laws, vs. a blanket mandate for all users.

BT Free Social

BT Free is a non-profit organization founded by @ozoned@btfree.social . It's goal is for digital privacy rights, advocacy and consulting. This goal will be attained by hosting open platforms to allow others to seamlessly join the Fediverse on moderated instances or by helping others join the Fediverse.

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