Worse: You just won't be able to use websites on desktop unless you pull out your phone and verify.

I hope the push for verification leads to the normies learning the ways of identity theft. The fun really ramps up once they figure out free money tricks.

Normies don't use desktop computers.

I am pretty sure that the point is that the "normies" are going to be getting their identities stolen in order for others to pass the age verification.

But this will at least create a healthy pressure for competing options for users on desktops, likely based on novel secure protocols.

Most of the times the user prioritizes more convenient options over privacy. "Pressure for competing options" will mean that options compete for the most convenient way, not most secure or most private.

Sure, but the point is that the more convenient less-secure ways are going to be criminalized. Otherwise nobody would use the age verification app in the first place.

Then the recommendation from this should be to become criminal.