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California lawmakers unanimously pass Linux exemption from age-verification law

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

#251

Post by dfxm12 »

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.

We got into this mess long before this, when we decided it was ok to trade freedom at the hint of protecting children, without considering the actual merits of the situation. Look at the horsemen of the infoacalypse.

Then we decided we should punish ourselves rather than expect/require big business make safe products.

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

#252

Post by hirako2000 »

ajsnigrutin wrote: post #215
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.

TBH, OS based parental filters are the optimal solution here, especially if implemented in a proper way. Kids don't buy phones and computers, parents do. When setting up the account for the first time, the parents could set the account to be an "underage one", all the apps, browsers, etc., would get the USER_IS_UNDERAGE flag and filter content according to that. No need for every site to ask and verify the age, just…

Exactly like GDPR shouldn't have mandated millions of websites to pop up a consent form, as a global browser setting could would have set consent as a user preference.

But the objective of these regulations aren't what it says on the tin.

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

#253

Post by gspr »

13415 wrote: post #167
gspr wrote: post #20

Rest of the headline: "software distributed under the GPL, MIT, BSD, and Apache licenses are exempt" And then further into the text it's clarified that there also isn't a specific list of open licenses, as the terrible headline would have you believe, but instead a description of what is considered open With the caveat that I haven't read the actual legal text, this seems to be an eminently sensible law (it'd be bett…

I don't consider that sensible at all. The law is supposed to protect children. It's hypocritical to exempt certain operating systems from the law, and, to be honest, I'm astonished this is legal/constitutional in California.

Of course the underlying law is idiotic.

What I meant is that if we take the law as a given, then the exemption we are discussing here are very good and sensible. I wish they weren't needed, but given that they are, the language seems sensible.

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

#254

Post by youniverse »

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.

Very true. I bought and setup minecraft server hosting in middle school, which got me enough money to build my first pc in high school. And the rest is history. :)

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

#255

Post by lazide »

picofarad wrote: post #246
snackoverflow wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe the comment was in reference to the frequency of school shootings in the United States vs the rest of the world.

457 deaths in US history. 1200 deaths a day from diarrhea in India. Put it in perspective.

No way it’s that low in India, either.

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

#256

Post by DoctorOetker »

nobody is worried about about the arbitrarian aspects?

What if you are interested in developing your own OS (a task that would have been monumental but may become trivial with LLMs in the future)?

Why is the proper level the OS? Why not the browser or the hypervisor?

Or perhaps manufacturer should remember your age? What if hardware is resold? We would need a hardware cadastre! A global hardware cadastre would unite all jurisdictions in a power bloc eventually. It starts with daily computer/laptop, then domotics, then digital door locks, and before you know it the bloc-global hardware cadastre becomes authoritative, and the reference for property ownership.

Is there even a proper level?

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

#257

Post by Gangway0829 »

frameset wrote: post #136
vdfs wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Freedom from League of legends AND Facebook? Linux Torvalds just can't stop winning

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

#258

Post by tzs »

rbbydotdev wrote: post #40

this bill fixes nothing. if you wanted to prevent harm from the internet you would start with proper privacy laws. but we all know why that will never happen

I'm guessing you are thinking about things like addictive social media and the efforts to keep kids from overusing it, and the idea is if there were strong privacy laws it would be harder or impossible to implement the most addictive features of those sites?

However harms based on sites having lots of personal data on their users are only part of what many people are concerned about. There are various categories of apps and sites that are legally required to not sell to/serve children. There are also things that are not illegal but the majority of research finds is bad for young children, so apps and sites may want to keep young children out unless a parent approves. Privacy laws don't help with any of that.

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

#260

Post by inigyou »

This is a silly idea since California's law was actually well-thought-out. This will actually force social media to ban Linux clients, since the social media can't be compliant in that case. The operating system won't provide an age signal and the social media isn't allowed to ask for one on its own.

I also want a permanent ban for anyone who calls the California law "age verification". It does not verify age. Period.

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