I was going through my bookmarks when I noticed some multitools I’d bookmarked last year being greyed out with a note that they require age verification. I headed off to google and found out that as of about a month ago, AliExpress now requires users in Europe and the UK to have their age verified via Au10tix, an Israeli age verification provider, if they want to view or buy anything “adult.”
Apparently things classified as adult don’t just mean things you might expect such sharp objects, sex toys or gooner anime figurines but also anything queer or feminism related as well as swimsuits (not sure who’d buy underwear or swimsuits from AliExpress but it’s your undercarriage I guess). I specifically saw someone complain on Reddit they could no longer buy the pride flags they had in their basket without verification. The verification process seems to involve taking a video selfie of your face from different angles while holding up your ID. Also the company was already hacked some time ago and apparently openly says in their TOS they share your data with their “partners”
It seems this whole thing was kicked off early this year when French authorities were outraged to find underage hentai sex toys in packages from AliExpress which made the EU tell AliExpress to do something or face huge fines.
I guess this is that something but I don’t see how it changes anything. You already need to use your real name, address and credit/debit card to buy anything. AliExpress knows who you are, and so does the customs officer inspecting your package. You’d think they could’ve just gotten rid of the loli shit on their store, but apparently the UK has also long been pressuring them to do something about knives and also this probably just how the entire Internet is going to be in a year or two 
On the other hand, the EU is building its own age verification regime. Can’t believe I’m saying this, but the EU’s version is supposed to be launching alongside some kind of central anonymised token system so at least it’s not gonna be a free-for-all for shady third parties run by Israel and/or Peter Thiel and his buddies, though I expect it’s still going to play part in a horrifying digital panopticon in some way
Not a free for all but almost certainly involving and relying on Apple, Google and Microsoft.
I think it’s awesome having essentially your full citizenship being tied to satanic American megacorps
This is already somewhat the case with things like social security or medical services relying on banking apps for strong identification, and naturally those are only available on Android and iOS
And this is the case with the military too.
Nooo Europe is stronk and independent and will resist Russia, China and the US or whatever the hell Macron was babbling about
TBH, at this point there are only two truly independent states - China and DPRK.