Contributing to an open source project is one of the very few things on the net that I actually would want id verification on.
Colorado Amended SB051 (Age Verification Bill) to Exclude Open Source Projects
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Re: Colorado Amended SB051 (Age Verification Bill) to Exclude Open Source Projects
#12Good development, along with the most recent changes to https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtm...
A colleague is hosting a virtual session on these and other similar bills around the world in two days https://maintainermonth.github.com/schedule/2026-05-22-age-a...
Or, now slightly out of date, read https://github.blog/news-insights/policy-news-and-insights/w... Added: I had not scrolled far enough on the front page, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48214215 is on this blog.
Re: Colorado Amended SB051 (Age Verification Bill) to Exclude Open Source Projects
#13(5)(a) "COVERED APPLICATION" MEANS A CONSUMER SOFTWARE APPLICATION THAT IS ACCESSED THROUGH A COVERED APPLICATION STORE AND THAT MAY BE RUN OR DIRECTED BY A USER ON A DEVICE. (b) "COVERED APPLICATION" DOES NOT INCLUDE: (I) A SOFTWARE APPLICATION THAT DOES NOT PROCESS USERS' PERSONAL DATA; OR (II) AN APPLICATION FROM A FREE, PUBLICLY AVAILABLE CODE REPOSITORY.
On the one hand, I'm absolutely against blanket age verification laws like this one, think there are better ways to solve the stated problem, and believe that the current crop of legislation is being pushed by bad actors for nefarious purposes by means of pandering to public mania. On the other hand, I do appreciate that a possible unintended consequence of the out provided by (5)(b)(I) could be that PII (along with…
> there are better ways to solve the stated problem
Call your representatives. There is overwhelming demand for age gating social media (based on, honestly, good evidence). This will be implemented based on who calls in. If the status quo of technical people being hopelessly nihilistic continues, it will be written in the stupidest ways possible.
Re: Colorado Amended SB051 (Age Verification Bill) to Exclude Open Source Projects
#14Contributing to an open source project is one of the very few things on the net that I actually would want id verification on.
What for? That's kind of strange. Maybe if its a critical project, but for random projects that aren't like apache web server, nginx, or Linux Kernel, I don't care, heck I would argue if its a very very small change, and it has been scrutinized I don't care who it came from.
Re: Colorado Amended SB051 (Age Verification Bill) to Exclude Open Source Projects
#15As someone working on an open source project in CO, this is a welcome fit of common sense. How do these laws typically work in other jurisdictions, do they block non-conforming sites? Or does it open you up to lawsuits?
Edit: It looks like these laws will be enforced by app stores primarily, because they have more significant liability. I'm guessing they won't take the effort to provide exemptions to jurisdictions with the open source carveout unless it is common.
Re: Colorado Amended SB051 (Age Verification Bill) to Exclude Open Source Projects
#16I know this is attached to a stupid bill, but I really like the general idea of special carve outs for open source projects.
Of course you do. And farmers like subsidies for corn. That's a general idea for them too. And of course you're going to say the public benefits from open source projects and the farmer will say starving no good. Middle class see, middle class do but think they no do.
Re: Colorado Amended SB051 (Age Verification Bill) to Exclude Open Source Projects
#17Contributing to an open source project is one of the very few things on the net that I actually would want id verification on.
What for? That's kind of strange. Maybe if its a critical project, but for random projects that aren't like apache web server, nginx, or Linux Kernel, I don't care, heck I would argue if its a very very small change, and it has been scrutinized I don't care who it came from.
Raises the defensive bar for today-unaccountable slop and malware, at minimum.
Re: Colorado Amended SB051 (Age Verification Bill) to Exclude Open Source Projects
#18Good, California too now
Re: Colorado Amended SB051 (Age Verification Bill) to Exclude Open Source Projects
#19Boiling frog strikes again.
"It's only for porn sites" to "its only for social media" to "its doesn't include open source projects" to "its only when you need an internet connection".
Re: Colorado Amended SB051 (Age Verification Bill) to Exclude Open Source Projects
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
On the one hand, I'm absolutely against blanket age verification laws like this one, think there are better ways to solve the stated problem, and believe that the current crop of legislation is being pushed by bad actors for nefarious purposes by means of pandering to public mania. On the other hand, I do appreciate that a possible unintended consequence of the out provided by (5)(b)(I) could be that PII (along with…
> there are better ways to solve the stated problem Call your representatives. There is overwhelming demand for age gating social media (based on, honestly, good evidence). This will be implemented based on who calls in. If the status quo of technical people being hopelessly nihilistic continues, it will be written in the stupidest ways possible.
Of course we could make predatory algorithms illegal. Or just algorithmic timelines/discovery algorithms.
Nah. Can’t stop the money. Let make brain destroying scams and ad spam legal as long as you’re over 18.