EP270: Call it what you want: age verification, identity checks, or digital ID.

Send us Fan MailThe internet has long relied on pseudonymity or anonymity for safety—domestic abuse survivors hiding from trackers, journalists protecting sources, activists in repressive regimes, LGBTQ+ people exploring identity, or simply people discussing sensitive topics.Mandating ID-linked checks erodes this, potentially enabling government or corporate tracking, censorship, or chilling effects on free speech. Critics argue it builds infrastructure for broader surveillance under the guise of “child safety.”That explanation is pretty clear.Support the showABOUT NERDBRANDNerdBrand is a national branding and advertising agency based in Louisville, KY. Learn more about NerdBrand.Hear more of the NerdBrand Podcast.