God, I hate posting a Reddit comment, but this is huge. Every claim is sourced (I have not verified personally).
Edit: Well, Reddit does what reddit does, it’s been removed. Here is a github link: https://github.com/upper-up/meta-lobbying-and-other-findings
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.bestiver.se/post/985257
tl;dr it was Meta (because of course it was). It is a little strange though, I would think they would absolutely want this sort of PII but they’re pushing for Google and Apple to deal with it.
I’m guessing one of the motives is to be able to get more data from non meta users. If the API exists at the operating system level, they can then use the code behind that stupid little Facebook button that every website has to get user age as well as the normal browser fingerprinting data.
God, I hate them so f-n much. Ad-supported social media must die.
My understanding is the API only applies to app stores.
Nope. Most of these legislations are pushing for OS level.
Yes, and the OS communicates this to the app stores.
And everything else, including via the little Facebook button on various pages.
No.
You’ve convinced me with such a compelling
argumentstatement of fact.
App stores and anything else that makes a call to that API.
Your browser would have to allow that.
You mean the browsers all based on code from Google and Apple, who also want that info, and will be pressured to use that API to “protect the children” from adult websites?
That is incorrect, the OS communicates the data to any “app” running on the system that asks for it. The text of the bill (the CA bill specifically is the one I have read) states that any developer of any app must ask for the age bracket from either the OS or the App Store, so the OS will have to have the API open to any “app” running on the device, not just the “app store”. Also, they define “app store” as any website or software that people can download and install software from, which is VERY broad.
deleted by creator
I recall reading an article a few days ago saying it was Meta behind it. I feel like tons of research wasn’t needed when the answer key was already known.
Independently verifying it is still worthwhile.
Horrible company is responsible for horrible thing they claimed to have done. More at 11.
Horrible company says “what? Me? No, guv, we just run ads”.
Best to get receipts.
And provided an insight to the whole flow of dark money.
Edit: Otherwirse they could just brush it off as a rumor/conspiracy theory.
Or take the blame. Either way, I was expecting Palantir.
Zuck is on board with destroying democracy as much as Theil, otherwise Zuck wouldn’t have personally hired Joel Kaplan back in 2009.
Well of course he is. Billionaires believe they are special little kings who deserve far more than democracy can ever offer them. One vote? Are you kidding? Just one vote each? Not for them. They deserve more. And so, they’re intent on destroying it for millions.
Petty, ambitious tyrants, down to the stunted emotional growth of past rulers. Grow up with everyone telling you you’re a king vs growing into incredible money before you’ve finished developing into a full adult.
They don’t want to deal with the costs, just get the data. At least that’s what I got from the text, as a reason why they were pushing to make social networks extempt and keep it on app/OS level.
Fuckers.
But they’re not getting the data. The data is going to Google, MS and Apple. All they’re getting is an age bracket.
For now… But they are pushing laws that require the infrastructure for data harvesting be built into the OS level and then broadcast the data to any program that asks for it without question…
wow great post
Can we trace who is behind anti trans lobbying in US and UK?
We already did. The epstein emails showed that they intentionally started an anti trans campaign via 4chan that spread so that they could undermine the safety of trans women and lock them into unregulated sex work. Also, jkr was one of their buddies.
But who is donating money right now? There is definitely still a lot of money pouring into this.
Probably whoever was paying him to begin with. The pedophile parties didnt stop when he got arrested. They just moved somewhere else.
My best guess is the heritage foundation and the like. Probably not one single person or group but a coalition of the worst and richest people on the planet
So Meta (and their allies) are actively pushing and lobbying (illegally, if you look at DCA that doesn’t even exist?) for laws that force operating systems to build a permanent age API thats full time accessible for apps?
Why not use a digital identity wallet like Europe : You can prove that you are 18+ without sharing your date of birth, name, or other information (via zero-knowledge proofs), it’s like a confirmation paper from a bank or another institution without any actual information about yourself. Plus there’s parental consent to children’s accounts (as COPPA in the U.S. already does), or like by doing verification locally or through open-source systems, not through commercial companies with a central Database.
They knowingly ignore better, more privacy friendly alternatives to age verification because by forcing operating systems to implement a permanent age API, they create a system that burdens competitors like Apple and Google, while their own platforms are often excluded. This fits into a broader strategy to normalize surveillance and increase dependence on commercial verification companies, which Meta indirectly benefits from.
I dont really see this changing, I expect meta getting away with everything and getting worse cause look at the inauguration. But musk also got booted so who knows. But in the end America usually doesnt care about customer rights, privacy rights, or childrens rights ig.
Why not, not do age verification at all?
I don’t want the government or any corporation involved in verifying anything about me online.
The idea of a national ID would never pass in the US. Both parties are against it for various reasons.
That’s an impressive investigation.
It would be tough to find a better example of why lobbying in the US is fundamentally broken. An entity like Meta has ample funding to break up an operation into distinct cells that do not directly interact in public forums, while tracking the whole process in documents protected by ACP. I think it’s particularly telling that Meta lobbyists are quietly nodding along legislation pushed by “grass roots” activists and that Meta’s new OS just happens to implement the technology exactly as described in the law.
It’s that sort of coordinated effort that the RICO act was drafted specifically to address, but it’s perfectly legal.
while tracking the whole process in documents protected by ACP.
ACP?
Attorney-Client Privilege. Sorry, I should have just said it.
For anyone who might have avoided this part of the world, ACP makes communications between you and your counsel inadmissible in court. In big companies, it’s somewhat common to bring lawyers into discussions under the auspices of seeking legal advice, but primarily to ensure that if any artifact from that discussion were to be uncovered by an adversary, it couldn’t be used in a lawsuit.
@frizop @disorderly Anal cleaning products.
“The research is published in a git repository with every source embedded. It does not depend on Reddit’s infrastructure to survive.”
proceeds to post on Microslop’s Github
That kind of surprised me too, so I downloaded the repository. Now it’s sitting on my archival drive in case I need to put it somewhere, and dumped on a random neocities website for… amusement mostly.
Shouldn’t be hard to clone it to any other git server. Since you’re concerned, get on it.
Sdf probably even has their own.
Yup, they do! It’s on the list of 101 SDF things I should be using but somehow amn’t.
I wonder how many forks outside of Github there would be going for this repo by end of tomorrow…
Legend
A whole domain? Hopefully this doesn’t cost them much. I’m guessing until then copies of the repo on notabug and/or codeberg that one can cross-check ought suffice.
It really throws a light on the shit that they’re up to over this side of the Atlantic.
https://www.irishtimes.com/technology/big-tech/2025/10/30/data-protection-rules-completely-out-of-control-meta-tells-government/ https://archive.is/M8wbm
https://noyb.eu/en/former-meta-lobbyist-named-dpc-commissioner-meta-now-officially-regulates-itself
Meta has engaged in significant lobbying activities within the European Union regarding privacy and content regulations, often overlapping with discussions on “chat control” (a controversial EU proposal to scan private messages for child sexual abuse material, or CSAM).
Key developments regarding Meta’s influence in the EU, based on recent reports, include:
Lobbying on AI and Tech Regulation: As of April 2025, reports suggest Meta has been actively lobbying to influence or dilute EU artificial intelligence and technology regulations.
Influence on Digital Privacy Legislation: Meta and other “Big Tech” entities have been subject to intense scrutiny and lobbying investigations concerning how they affect European privacy laws, including GDPR compliance and potential chat control measures.
Regulatory Independence Concerns: Civil society organizations (including the Centre for Countering Digital Hate and EDRi) have raised concerns about the influence of former Meta lobbyists on EU regulators, notably the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC), which is the lead supervisor for Meta in the EU.
Antitrust and Competition Conflicts: In February 2026, the European Commission notified Meta of a statement of objections regarding the exclusion of third-party AI assistants from WhatsApp, viewing this as an abuse of its dominant position. This indicates that while Meta lobbies, it is also facing heavy EU regulatory action.
Data Protection Fines: Meta has previously faced substantial fines, such as the €1.3 billion fine in 2023 linked to US-EU data transfer practices.
The “chat control” legislation has faced delays and significant debate regarding its impact on privacy vs. security, with civil liberties groups opposing the mandatory scanning mechanisms that the proposal would introduce.
lobbyists are why most people get into politics. all soulless piece of fucks…
Social media is optional. Quit relying so much on the internet for entertainment. Sail the high seas. Arr.
Wish the platform owners didn’t make enough money shearing sheep that they can use it to fuck it up for the rest of us.
And… It’s gone. What the fuck?
I deploy hundreds of docker containers every day that run general purpose operating systems. These bills seem dumb at a fundamental level regardless of the terrible privacy implications.
And then some kid buys a used raspberry pi or wipes an old computer and circumvents it all anyway.
Github is MS, so better save it while you still can.
Codeberg mirror is quick and easy to set up, /u/lmmarsano@group.lt !
Thank you for this. Like, I heard a bit about this but set it aside as “to be researched later” without realizing how far along the stupidity had gotten.
Fuck that fucking shitty website.
It’s crazy the amount of censorship that goes on there and how accepted it is by its audience.
Or go straight to the linked github page which seems to be where they’re storing all the data and analysis
https://github.com/upper-up/meta-lobbying-and-other-findings
TY for your service.
The EPSTEIN CLASS which the Government is doing EVERYTHING to Protect is Behind wanting you AND your Child’s IDS? I COULDNT have Guessed!
Yes. The way these laws are written, our devices could be mandated to take a quick picture of our underage children during setup and/or login.
Then that picture can be secured to today’s standards, ensuring a data breach.
I can imagine why the Epstein class would want that to happen - more information when they are choosing which of our children to kidnap.
