#TBOT 18: U.S. Age Verification, Apple's Digital ID, Cloudflare Takes Down The Internet

Here are this week’s stories:

U.S. Age Verification Laws – The Facts:States like Texas, Utah, Louisiana, and Mississippi are rolling out sweeping age-verification mandates for websites and app stores. These laws could reshape how people access software and online content—and they raise major questions about privacy, liability, and the path toward Digital ID. Check out the full story for a clear breakdown of what’s coming.

Cloudflare Outage Shakes the Internet:Cloudflare suffered its worst outage since 2019, taking nearly 20% of the internet down for hours. Canva, Uber, Spotify, X, and thousands more went dark instantly. We look at what caused the collapse, what it reveals about centralized infrastructure, and an open-source alternative that protects sites without handing the keys to a single company.

Apple’s First U.S. Digital ID:Apple quietly launched a new Digital ID system inside its Wallet app—complete with biometric “verification,” NFC passport scanning, and face-movement checks. It’s already accepted at 250 airports. This is the first mainstream Digital ID in the U.S., and Apple plans to expand it to in-person age verification next.

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Announcements

🎵 New Handpan Video for Source Insights SubscribersThis week’s Source Insights features a behind-the-scenes tour of a handpan factory—see how they’re made, tuned, and brought to life. Paid subscribers get exclusive access to the full video.

✍️ We’re Accepting #TBOT Contributors#TBOT is looking for creators who believe tech should serve humanity. If you can write clearly, source accurately, and highlight real solutions across tech, energy, food, or privacy, we’d love to feature your work. Submit a short sample article and apply to join our contributor crew.

🛍️ Above’s Black Friday Sale is Back!Our best sale of the year is back—with some phones up to $500 off, plus deals on laptops and bundles.

If you’re ready to upgrade your privacy gear, now is the best time.

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