Age Verification and Adult Websites

— Posted inLaw and Government, Technology — 3 min read

The issue of age verification for accessing adult content on websites has been a topic of debate for some time now. Recently, the state of Utah passed a law requiring that anyone visiting an adult website in Utah be required to verify their age by submitting government issued ID. MindGeek, the parent company of some of the most popular adult websites (including PornHub, Brazzers, RedTube, YouPorn, and Reality Kings) has issued a statement where they expressed concerns over the new legislation and have called for a “device-based verification solution” instead. More information, including the full statement from MindGeek, can he found here.

However there is little clarity on what they mean by “device-based verification solution”. The lack of a clear definition makes it difficult for legislators to understand what the company is proposing and how it would work in practice. If the lawmakers do not understand what is meant by device-based verification, it could lead to poorly written laws, which can be dangerous and have unintended consequences.

Moreover, even if device-based verification is introduced, there is no guarantee that it will be effective in preventing minors from accessing adult content. For example, many people share their devices with family members, friends, or coworkers and it’s not uncommon for parents to hand their phone to their children. In such cases, device-based verification would not be an accurate way of verifying the user’s age. Additionally, there is also the issue of privacy and security, which can arise from identifying users by their device, potentially making it easier to track them and build a profile on their personal habits, preferences, etc.

Legislators should consider promoting the use of parental controls to prevent minors from accessing adult content online. It is a more effective solution that puts the responsibility of monitoring and controlling children’s online activities on parents. They should use the parental controls provided by their devices, internet service providers, or third-party applications to restrict access to adult websites. This approach would not only be more effective but would also respect users’ privacy and security far better than mandatory identification laws.

In conclusion, the issue of age verification for adult websites is complex, and it requires a careful and thoughtful approach. Instead of relying solely on government action, parents can take steps to ensure that their children are safe online. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of parents to educate and monitor their children’s online activities and ensure they do not access inappropriate content.

ASUS Product Quality, Destroyed CPU’s, Etc.

— Posted inPC Hardware, Technology — 3 min read

After watching the JayzTwoCents video on ASUS product quality issues where Jay states that he doesn’t want ASUS as a sponsor anymore, I decided to record a video where I talk about this a bit myself. The video is a little bit jumbled, and I overlooked talking about Android security updates, so I’ll copy a more concise rundown from my YouTube video description below (mostly written by ChatGPT 3):

As someone who has been using ASUS products for around 20 years, I have always been impressed with the quality of their hardware. I remember building my first computer with an ASUS motherboard and how impressed I was with its reliability. Unfortunately, recent issues with their products have caused me to rethink my loyalty to the brand.

One of the most concerning issues has been with ASUS motherboards and their Over Current Protection (OCP) failures on X670E motherboards for AMD Ryzen 7000 CPU’s. Gamers Nexus has reported that their motherboards have failed to trigger the OCP, resulting in damage to their CPU’s, with the motherboards destroying themselves in the process. This is a major problem, as it not only leads to financial losses but also results in a lot of frustration and disappointment.

Another issue that has been reported is that X670E motherboards in general (not just ASUS) overvolt the System on a Chip (SOC), causing damage to AMD Ryzen 7800X3D processors. This is an alarming problem, as it not only affects the performance of the CPU but can also cause permanent damage. In the case of the testing that Gamers Nexus did it caused catastrophic failures with CPU’s “exploding”.

I also cover their poor software and updates, with some updates breaking or removing features from phones and causing other issues. This is not acceptable, as users should be able to trust that their devices will be reliable and functional after updates.

One important thing I forgot to address in the video pertains to ASUS’ reluctance to offer security updates for their phones. Approximately six months after the release of the ROG Phone 3, ASUS unveiled the ROG Phone 5 and ceased providing monthly updates to its predecessor. It is imperative for Android devices to receive monthly security updates, and failing to provide them places customers’ devices at risk of infection and data theft. ASUS has a track record of neglecting this responsibility (most of their Zenfone line of phone did not receive monthly security updates, and I was hopeful that they would not repeat this with the ROG Phone 3, as they had been consistent in releasing monthly updates for the ROG Phone 2. However, ASUS did not extend this curtesy to ROG Phone 3 customers, leaving their devices vulnerable to critical security issues for several months at a time.

These issues are especially concerning to me, as someone who has relied on ASUS products for many years. I understand that no company is perfect and that issues can arise, but these problems seem to be more widespread and serious than usual.

In conclusion, while I still have some positive experiences with ASUS products, recent issues with their motherboards, software, and updates have left me feeling disappointed and frustrated. As a long-time user, I hope that ASUS will take these concerns seriously and work to improve their product quality and reliability.

Here are the videos from JayzTwoCents and Gamers Nexus as well, in case you haven’t watched them yet:

New Blog

— Posted inGT500.org — 1 min read

I’m starting a new offsite (not at GT500.org) blog to write about things I’m currently interested in. It will include my thoughts on tech, AI, gaming, and security. Occasionally I hope to go in-depth on a topic such as comparing the quality of open source AI image/video upscalers, comparing video game graphics with different types of Anti-Aliasing and sharpening, sharing screenshots of my favorite ReShade shaders in various games, and discussing tech topics that are in the news.

Why offsite? I was using a fairly obscure blog engine that wasn’t being actively maintained anymore, and while it was OK for the task I wanted something a little more reliable. The self-hosted blog was also not as functional as a WordPress blog, and I didn’t want to have to try to update to something else and then have to maintain it myself.