California lawmakers unanimously pass Linux exemption from age-verification law • Hacker News Board

Re: California lawmakers unanimously pass Linux exemption from age-verification law

#131

Post by b112 » Sun, Aug 30, 2026, 10:18 AM UTC

dgoldstein0 wrote: post #49

thelastgallon wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Linux phones, Linux gaming machines, Linux on Desktop and Laptops, Linux VR/AR, Linux watches, etc.

Or more likely companies and people will just comply. It might give a little more fuel to open source from people who are ardently pro privacy that balk at an age signal bring implemented, but I don't think that's such a huge segment of users.

I think the upstream premise was kids using Linux to get around things. This could be the case, even in a world of the average Joe just putting up with the intrusion and hassles.

So really, both concepts can mesh.

After all, once compliant an adult is then not restricted.

Re: California lawmakers unanimously pass Linux exemption from age-verification law

#132

Post by SideQuark » Sun, Aug 30, 2026, 10:18 AM UTC

shevy-java wrote: post #118

huimang wrote: post #62

So is anyone going to revert the commits that jumped the gun on this? E.g. systemd's birthdate field https://github.com/systemd/systemd/pull/40954

Systemd is paid for by Big Business, so they will retain user-identification information in the long run of course. Poettering will never revert what he is paid for by the TechBros.

The vast majority of all commits to Linux were paid for by big business (around 85% last year, prev years similar). Intel, Google, AMD, IBM, Meta….

https://commandlinux.com/statistics/linux-kernel-contributor...

Re: California lawmakers unanimously pass Linux exemption from age-verification law

#133

Post by methyl » Sun, Aug 30, 2026, 10:21 AM UTC

maccard wrote: post #76

huimang wrote: post #62

So is anyone going to revert the commits that jumped the gun on this? E.g. systemd's birthdate field https://github.com/systemd/systemd/pull/40954

Man that PR is a complete mess.

why?

Re: California lawmakers unanimously pass Linux exemption from age-verification law

#134

Post by enoint » Sun, Aug 30, 2026, 10:23 AM UTC

huimang wrote: post #62

So is anyone going to revert the commits that jumped the gun on this? E.g. systemd's birthdate field https://github.com/systemd/systemd/pull/40954

For WSL, there will still need to be a passthrough.

Re: California lawmakers unanimously pass Linux exemption from age-verification law

#135

Post by yonatan8070 » Sun, Aug 30, 2026, 10:24 AM UTC

bobowzki wrote: post #130

cm2187 wrote: post #17

Excellent. From now on all kids will become linux natives. The decade of the linux desktop is coming!

Is 2027 the year of the Linux desktop?

Wasn't 2020 the year of the Linux desktop?

Re: California lawmakers unanimously pass Linux exemption from age-verification law

#136

Post by frameset » Sun, Aug 30, 2026, 10:24 AM UTC

vdfs wrote: post #105

red_admiral wrote: post #73

We got into this mess because people wanted Facebook to have age verification, and MZ decided to push the responsibility on to OSes. The result looks to me like Facebook will ban access from non-approved OSes like Linux. Android will still be allowed, GrapheneOS probably not.

That would be a big win for linux users

I've heard that joke from Linux users when it comes to anti-cheat.

Which OS is better for gaming? Windows or Linux?

A: Linux, because you can't play League of Legends

Re: California lawmakers unanimously pass Linux exemption from age-verification law

#137

Post by Vacyyyy » Sun, Aug 30, 2026, 10:26 AM UTC

ludicrousdispla wrote: post #120

cm2187 wrote: post #17

Excellent. From now on all kids will become linux natives. The decade of the linux desktop is coming!

I credit Minecraft with getting an entire generation comfortable using command line statements.

Literally why I got into CS

Re: California lawmakers unanimously pass Linux exemption from age-verification law

#138

Post by wseqyrku » Sun, Aug 30, 2026, 10:30 AM UTC

How Linux is relevant to age-verification again? What was the question exactly?

Lawmakers unanimously are going to be sleeping when it gets dark at night.

Re: California lawmakers unanimously pass Linux exemption from age-verification law

#139

Post by alexnewman » Sun, Aug 30, 2026, 10:39 AM UTC

shevy-java wrote: post #116

close04 wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And then the exception will evaporate overnight.

Precisely. Courts will find that the situation where Linux users are exempt from the law, whereas Windows users have to submit their ID and any other personal data, can not be maintained, so Linux users will also be forced to give up their ID before being able to access the internet. This will also first come via commercial distributions (perhaps it can not be enforced by independent linux users, but the law need not…

Totally agree. After the next big cyber attack, ganna have to kyc to access internet. It will be “for our safety”. Luckily now with ai the world doesn’t need me as a programmer so I’m just ganna stop using computers if they go full facist

Re: California lawmakers unanimously pass Linux exemption from age-verification law

#140

Post by enoint » Sun, Aug 30, 2026, 10:50 AM UTC

charcircuit wrote: post #101

So Android is exempted since it's opens source?

Practically, the components of Android which mandate a user account are not distributed so that the user can modify them. The exemption does not apply.