We need to erase these age checks and the culture that encourages them. I will continue to say this—unfettered internet access does far more Good than Harm; especially in this climate.

Yes, but also there are a LOT of parents that are worse for kids than age checks as far as access to information goes. And not for some normal "protrct the children" level of reason, but for "Everything that makes me uncomfortable is SATAN!" reasons.

What we need is ongoing, free education after school. For many it just stops. People should have gotten digital competency classes with every new wave of applications and then taught that to their children.

Schools also spectacularly fail at preparing people for life after school in any way digital. Most just indoctrinate you to use one single product, not how to use a computer in general. Kids exit school only knowing "Microslop Excel" not how spreadsheets work or what they're good for e.g balancing a budget, keeping track of expenses, weighing options, etc.

Education is also a very large and important part of the answer.