Regulatory Push for Age Verification Fuels Demand for Privacy Tech & VPNs.
The push for age verification in Texas app stores, despite public concerns about privacy, effectiveness, and potential overreach (like "nanny state" or "surveillance"), is driving a market for age verification technologies. At the same time, there's a growing interest and intent to use VPNs to bypass these restrictions, maintain anonymity, and access desired content freely.
Commercial/Marketing Opportunities:
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Age Verification Solutions: Companies can develop and market robust, user-friendly, and privacy-centric age verification systems for app stores and developers who need to comply with the Texas mandate and similar expected regulations elsewhere. Emphasizing minimal data retention and strong encryption will be key differentiators to address public privacy concerns.
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VPN and Privacy Services: VPN providers have a clear opportunity to market their services heavily in Texas and other regions with restrictive internet policies. Marketing campaigns can focus on:
- Bypassing Geo-Restrictions: "Access your apps and content freely, no matter the local mandates."
- Enhanced Privacy & Anonymity: "Protect your online activity from increased surveillance and data collection."
- Countering 'Nanny State' Policies: Appealing to users frustrated with perceived government overreach.
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Educational Content/Consultancy: There's a potential market for educating users on digital privacy tools and helping businesses navigate complex compliance landscapes while respecting user rights.
Origin Reddit Post
r/technology
Texas forces Google and Apple to verify ages in app stores. Teen social media ban could be next.
Posted by u/vriska1•05/29/2025
Top Comments
u/DrSlowbro
> The party of small government my ass.
Well yeah, they want to know everything *about* your ass. Its size, its shape, how much it is used, if you use it for non-digestive purposes, every
u/MadMatMax
I'm not sure I can think of a bigger Nanny State than Texas. Least personal freedom of any state.
u/rustyphish
It doesn’t
But a certain % of people won’t know how to do that or will be too lazy, and they’ll get millions of people’s data and habits for free
u/FredFredrickson
They'll outlaw VPNs next, because of all the people using them to break the law to watch porn.
u/BeApesNotCrabs
And drinking and driving.
u/exophrine
*"...but not when WE do it..."*
u/rbrgr83
They're also gearing up to profile people for when they outlaw being gay. They litterally doing it with student visas right now, requiring 'social media review' before acceptance.
u/Yaughl
I’m curious how they’re actually planning on enforcing this. The real solution is parenting.
u/oakfan05
This exactly. I don't have a VPN. Not even sure of a good one to use. I just jerk it to Twitter porn or reddit porn. Miss the days of pornhub.
u/gasman245
They’re also trying to ban people from using THC products in their own home. The party of small government my ass.
u/oakfan05
This exactly. I don't have a VPN. Not even sure of a good one to use. I just jerk it to Twitter porn or reddit porn. Miss the days of pornhub.
u/gasman245
They’re also trying to ban people from using THC products in their own home. The party of small government my ass.
u/Yaughl
I’m curious how they’re actually planning on enforcing this. The real solution is parenting.
u/rustyphish
It doesn’t
But a certain % of people won’t know how to do that or will be too lazy, and they’ll get millions of people’s data and habits for free
u/a_talking_face
I remember when Republicans used to cry about the "nanny state" banning people from smoking in public places and now they're the ones saying "oh we need to check your ID before you download t
u/-ReadingBug-
Going on offense would mean ignoring the law and allowing Texans to continue accessing the app. Still don't understand why PornHub bent the knee. They're not even in the U.S.
u/BeApesNotCrabs
And drinking and driving.
u/qorbexl
Hey, funny enough, my friend happens to own an age verification service that works real good. Let's pay him lots of money to do the the restrictions that the independent legislature just enac
u/__Ember
My brother in Christ, xfree dot com is your savior.
Also, Proton VPN is a good free VPN.
u/__Ember
Creating this law for child safety is a red herring.
The goal is to increase surveillance for all users of the service, not just minors. By requiring age verification, there will be collecti
u/rbrgr83
They're also gearing up to profile people for when they outlaw being gay. They litterally doing it with student visas right now, requiring 'social media review' before acceptance.
u/GoblinTwerk
I'd love it if Google and Apple responded by pulling their app stores from anyone in Texas and refer all complaints to the Governor's office. It's about time to go on the offensive against th
u/OnlyTalksAboutTacos
And then sneeze and get big again while still in his asshole yeah we've all read his memoirs
u/-----username-----
(and then they want to ban people from seeing porn, and by porn they mean “any information about LGBT people”)
u/rustyphish
Seatbelts too, I remember my parents endlessly bitching all throughout “click it or ticket”
u/8bitjer
Free is not free. Pay for your vpn folks.
u/SaiffyDhanjal
Exactly. Age verification is just surveillance with extra steps. They know most adults will have to verify too, so now everyone's ID gets collected and stored by these companies.
u/Detritussll
The party of hypocrisy. They absolutely hate freedom unless it's convenient for them. Texas is such an awful state.
u/-ReadingBug-
Going on offense would mean ignoring the law and allowing Texans to continue accessing the app. Still don't understand why PornHub bent the knee. They're not even in the U.S.
u/Trepide
Apple and Google should just cut TX off entirely.
u/GoblinTwerk
I'd love it if Google and Apple responded by pulling their app stores from anyone in Texas and refer all complaints to the Governor's office. It's about time to go on the offensive against th
u/MadMatMax
I'm not sure I can think of a bigger Nanny State than Texas. Least personal freedom of any state.
u/Silly_Dealer743
No way I’m not using a VPN for my amputee donkey pron.
u/rustyphish
Seatbelts too, I remember my parents endlessly bitching all throughout “click it or ticket”
u/exophrine
*"...but not when WE do it..."*
u/oakfan05
Same way they do for porn. We have to put our driver's license into the site to access it.
u/Windatar
Its funny, because children have already figured out how to bypass this and were spreading it in games like Roblox.
What they do is take a picture of someone old and then just use that as th
u/Yaughl
How does that work if they’re just using a VPN to bypass it? These legislators have absolutely no idea how technology works.
u/Yaughl
How does that work if they’re just using a VPN to bypass it? These legislators have absolutely no idea how technology works.
u/oakfan05
Same way they do for porn. We have to put our driver's license into the site to access it.
u/qorbexl
Hey, funny enough, my friend happens to own an age verification service that works real good. Let's pay him lots of money to do the the restrictions that the independent legislature just enac
u/DrSlowbro
> The party of small government my ass.
Well yeah, they want to know everything *about* your ass. Its size, its shape, how much it is used, if you use it for non-digestive purposes, every
u/Silly_Dealer743
No way I’m not using a VPN for my amputee donkey pron.
u/sonofchocula
I hope Apple and Google just stop participating in Texas. Fuck anybody that supports their bullshit. Greg Abbott and Ken Paxton are absolutely edgelord trolls, you’d have to be a real loser t
u/Windatar
Its funny, because children have already figured out how to bypass this and were spreading it in games like Roblox.
What they do is take a picture of someone old and then just use that as th
u/-----username-----
(and then they want to ban people from seeing porn, and by porn they mean “any information about LGBT people”)
u/__Ember
Creating this law for child safety is a red herring.
The goal is to increase surveillance for all users of the service, not just minors. By requiring age verification, there will be collecti
u/__Ember
My brother in Christ, xfree dot com is your savior.
Also, Proton VPN is a good free VPN.
u/SaiffyDhanjal
Exactly. Age verification is just surveillance with extra steps. They know most adults will have to verify too, so now everyone's ID gets collected and stored by these companies.
u/a_talking_face
I remember when Republicans used to cry about the "nanny state" banning people from smoking in public places and now they're the ones saying "oh we need to check your ID before you download t