Colorado's SB 26-051 and California's AB 1856 require OS-level age verification, but Linux and open-source software are largely exempt.

Summary

  • California (AB 1856) and Colorado (SB 26-051) have enacted laws requiring operating systems to implement device-level age verification but have specifically exempted open-source software.
  • These mandates require “Operating System Providers” to collect a user’s age during account setup and share a non-identifiable “age signal” with third-party apps.
  • Following significant backlash from open source community, both states narrowed their definitions to exclude Linux and open source software distributed under licenses that allow users to copy, redistribute, and modify the code.
  • While a pure Linux distribution is exempt, platforms like Valve’s SteamOS may still fall under the mandate. This is because SteamOS ships with a proprietary storefront and client.
  • Similarly, while Android is technically open source, the version shipped on most phones includes proprietary Google Play Services, which would likely trigger the mandate.
  • chunes@lemmy.worldEnglish
    29·
    7 days ago

    and yet so many devs put that crap in there willingly before the law was even finalized. Talk about no spine at all.

    • Lka1988@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      23·
      6 days ago

      A non-required general use field that is entirely optional.

      Yes, this absolute bare-minimum effort deserves all the outrage 🙄

  • ceenote@lemmy.worldEnglish
    19·
    8 days ago

    I am not optimistic that either Polis or Newsom would sign a bill with such an exception.

  • rockSlayer@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    6·
    8 days ago

    I’m sure that most companies will happily collect the data to sell to advertisers, but I hope that at least some companies will decide that it’s too difficult and open source their code

  • ChocolateFrostedSugarBombs@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5·
    7 days ago

    So we’re going to roll back those PR’s for systemd and the like right? Or are we going to keep them because Brazil? Oh who am I kidding, those are here to stay.

  • Grass@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    5·
    7 days ago

    google wants that shit though, and hopefully non steamos distros with handheld/deck build will add steam frame support pretty quick. The only thing weird I’ve seen on handheld builds is the game mode/ big picture system update screen shows the steamos changelog and not whatever distro you actually have, unless it got a workaround or fix while I wasn’t looking.