this post was submitted on 25 Mar 2026
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Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The most popular seem to be lighthearted clever little truths, hidden in daily life.

Here are some examples to inspire your own showerthoughts:

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When I was 8, I remember being bored and curious and touching a lot of parents stuff... phones... wallets... legal documents...

Most parents don't put their stuff in safes...

Like... THE WALLET IS RIGHT THERE... I COULD JUST GRAB IT!

If they had age verification stuff back then... I could've just... quickly snap a pic of their ID and just YOLO it...

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[–] FishFace@piefed.social 1 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

This isn't really about the internet; it's about human psychology. If you make something more difficult, fewer people will do it. Especially people who are doing it by accident. Kids aren't going out and accidentally downloading a VPN client.

I made it clear that I don't think it's a benefit overall

If you click a link and are exprected to show a video with your ID and face visible, what do you do? I say it is extremely dangerous and criminal for a government to demand this from their citizens.

Ever applied for a bank account online? I am certainly used to handing over identifiable information. I do it carefully.

[–] Noja@sopuli.xyz 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

If you make something more difficult, fewer people will do it.

Yes, this is the Chilling effect, and it's not a good thing. You don't need a VPN to watch porn online without ID verification, not even in the UK. I'm sure the great UK firewall will come eventually tho.

Ever applied for a bank account online?

Yes, I went to my local post office and showed them my ID, I'd never send my ID and face over video. This applies only to banks, what if a porn site asks you (and you want to visit it)? If you don't want to do it, your freedom is taken away from you.

[–] FishFace@piefed.social 1 points 1 hour ago

Chilling effect has a different connotation. This is a directly desired effect.

Do you disagree that it's harmful for young children to see pornography and the distorted view it presents of sex and especially of women? If it were just a question of chilling adults who want to look at porn, rather than of privacy violation, it'd be an acceptable price to pay. For example, if they used zero-knowledge proofs, that'd be completely fine.

I, as an adult who wants to visit a site, circumvent such a requirement. As a child who does not, I obviously would not.