this repository was for a new browser extension that would add a new https header for easy and simple parental controls. it is now archived since the attempt at a good faith interpretation of the laws that this repo represented, has now been obliterated. i recommend running Ageless Linux instead.
the main idea for this is that the browser extension enforces https only mode across all sites, and also adds a specific http header, with one of 3, 3 byte additions: -13, -18, 18+, one for every legally significant age. these headers will be used as a full replacement for KOSA in the US, the UK's online safety act, and anything similar. the reason for using only three as 18+ is age of majority, so nothing should be blocked (though perhaps kid centric sites may want to do this for safety), -18 is anyone 13-18, as above 13 they can legally collect data, but can't show adult content, and -13 will be sites that need 0 data like, sudoku or something, that doesn't need to collect data and just needs to work.
the browser extension can't be disabled without a specific PIN, and i need to work on simply removing the extension.
this is intended as a one-size-fits-all solution to internet use for anyone, not just kids. for example, the -18 flag could be used as a means of keeping employees from going to sites that HR doesn't wanna deal with, and then schools could use it in conjunction with their blocklists. personal benefits are there too, for example, people who have personal sites (like myself) as a way to communicate more about themselves and to publish contact info, can flag their sites as 18+ if they're an adult and only want adults to see their site and subsequently their contact info.
it's designed this way to be versatile, but generalised, to prevent the use of -18 as a magic button for mass censorship of anything that's not exactly adult content, such as LGBTQIA+, general human rights, help with certain topics (teen pregnancy, addiction, underage drinking, etc) that may be deemed "adult" but whose resources need to be available to kids if they seek it out, and are certainly supposed to be available to adults simply using -18 as a means of being left alone by porn sites and forwards to them through sketchy ads or other things (but you should be using an adblocker asexuals and anyone else who would use this /t, lh)
this idea isn't legislatively backed, and getting said backing will be difficult as most governments and/or corporations would want a more detailed age discriminator, such as 13-14, 15-16, 17, and so on, but that's way too much data to be giving them, especially when it comes to kids. that and they also want to use this as an excuse to enforce mass censorship and spying, and to keep kids from getting support for difficult topics.
this idea is meant to put people into buckets online, similar to how Tor does with its letterboxing, due to browsers sharing screen size, as this makes it hard to differentiate one user from another, but still adds a framework for easy enforcement of laws to protect people, not just kids, as the -18 flag has multiple uses.
the next sections are going to be sassy and have some more vindication in them, so be warned.
yes, this solves the issue of parents not wanting to do their one and only job when they elected to procreate. if you're a parent, your job is to parent. it's hard work. if you don't want to do that, don't have kids, use protection. adults always tell kids that but in some cases it's only because they failed to learn that themselves.
this also solves of making parents lack of parental controls a problem for the entirety of the internet. the internet is anonymous, that's how it should be. that's how we fight against mass censorship and spying. if you can't freely and anonymously share ideas, content, creativity, and human rights, that's bad. and frankly unjust. humans are social creatures, and we built the internet in that spirit. the fact that the government wants to make us hand over our IDs to be leaked in whatever the next data breach is, and use that data to keep track of us everywhere we go online is a perversion of some of the internet's core ideals.
yes. yes it is. if you want to buy a kid a device like an ipad or tablet for them to stare at, it's your job to parent and monitor their use of it. use a reading for screen time program, that'll teach them time management and get them interested in books. easy. get a parental controls app or extension like this one to keep them safe online and spend the 30 minutes setting it up. easy. or, to hell with giving kids another blue light spitting brick or glass pane, instead of spending a thousand dollars on an ipad or tablet, spend $500 on board games you let them pick out, or get them an old mini laptop and install Linux on it (which is free) if they're into technology, as Linux can prove valuable technology skills that will help them get a job later in life, or even develop hobbies, then let them get games on there like battleship or Keep Talking And Nobody Explodes on steam, so you can play those games together. have some family time for fuck's sake.
i'm all for tech. i love tech. but it's not the internet's problem that you want to let your kid use yours irresponsibly, with 0 supervision, and preventing them from developing social skills and becoming addicted to screens. i hear parents complain "oh you're always on that damn phone" and yeah, no kidding they are, because you've never once asked them to play scrabble with you either physically or with one of the thousands of apps there are that let you play it together on your phones while sitting near each other. you never bought cards against humanity and removed some of the bad ones to play with your 16 or 17 year old that found out they like dark humour. you never asked your kid about their hobbies or special interests, and actually listened to them, but guess what? the internet wants to hear your kid's ideas. the internet wants to see their creations, encourage them to try new things, and teach them new skills, and sure, some of the internet might be bad people, and some of those "new things to try" might be bad decision, but the majority of people online are good, the majority of those new things are just something fun, and plenty of the people online would be happy to be friends with your kid on discord, and they'll listen to your kid, and your kid will listen to them, that's friendship, and i'm not advocating for taking any of that away, but your kid's social interaction shouldn't exclusively be through that. your kid needs a hug once in a while, needs to be reminded you care, and want to know them, listen to them, and actually interact with them. making your failure as a parent the internet's problem isn't ok.