For some lamebrained reason SubStack have decided that they need to comply with Australia’s Online Safety Act for all their articles, not just those that are unsuitable for minors.
Unfortunately I will miss many excellent bloggers posts. But I refuse to become yet another cog in the corporatisation of Orwell's 1984 dystopticon. Perhaps authors will recognise that they too have become exploitation targets and leave as well.
Who decides this? (hint, a settlement or court case in all likelihoods) In reality, there is a broad spectrum of opinions and I'd rather see people put in the relationship time with their children over deferring to the government to save us from unpleasant speech. Perhaps certain laws (eg. no smartphone until 12) is the only way to break the loop of "all the other kids have it, I'll be a loser" that both parents and children have anxiety over alike.
The company is de-risking. Blame the government instead, or the people who elected them. I believe it is well known around HN that "save the kids" or age assurance legislation would always end up this way.