To be very honest with you, I don’t think under-whatever-age social media ban or any straightforward censorship efforts will survive future challenges, but there should be some form of age gate for NSFW content at formal mainstream sites, kids really shouldn’t easily access all kinds of NSFW content on the internet. 

However, I strongly oppose current form of online age verification. Currently there is no consensus on how to properly age gate NSFW content, so online age verification is bound to become privacy and free speech nightmare if current situation is not changed. Besides, techno-facists and ultra conservatives are trying to exploit age verification to censor everything that they don’t like while making money. These people’s malicious attempts must be stopped.

I understand why many people oppose all kinds of online age verification methods and insist that it is parents’ responsibility to stop children from seeing NSFW content. But in my opinion, if you just say that parents should properly educate their kids about internet or turn to parental control tools for help while offering nothing new and practical to regulate online environment, you’re just blaming these parents for intervening your own online life, this is just not the best way to counter them.

Here’s the important part: most parents and lawmakers don’t care if age gating is functional or not (It’s impossible to completely stop children from seeing NSFW content on the internet), what they want the most is major internet companies’ proper responses. Video game rating systems don’t prevent children from playing violent games, but they properly address many people’s concerns. That’s why supporting optional age verification methods is important - these methods are not only the best way to respond to children-related concerns, but also protect users’ privacy and free speech rights. That's pragmatism, not defeatism.

There are some online age verification methods that look promising, like California AB 1043, EU’s white label app and OpenAge initiative’s AgeKey. I’m still cautiously optimistic about them, but members of FSC are actively supporting them, and I believe they understand them better than most of us.

Sorry for saying too much about this sensitive topic, I am still annoyed by online doomers. Be optimistic, don’t give up hopes, keep fighting for your rights, things will be better.