I’m asking for public policy ideas here. A lot of countries are enacting age verification now. But of course this is a privacy nightmare and is ripe for abuse. At the same time though, I also understand why people are concerned with how kids are using social media. These products are designed to be addictive and are known to cause body image issues and so forth. So what’s the middle ground? How can we protect kids from the harms of social media in a way that respects everyone’s privacy?
They probably stopped steam-opening letters, so the mail is probably more secure than any kind of electronic communication. But basically, no, unless you have advanced encryption and state-level equipment produced with secure supply chains (i.e. you’re a member of the Chinese MSS using a ministry-issued device), you have to assume that anything electronic is compromised. The internet is a tool of the enemy and must be treated as insecure.
That isn’t to say you can’t criticize the government online. You can (and should!) call them Nazi pedophiles all day long and they won’t do anything about it. Unless you’re leaking classified information or plotting to overthrow the state, the worst thing that could happen is that you’ll be put on a list of people to be rounded up in the event of severe civil unrest.