California is proposing to exempt Linux from its upcoming age-verification law after significant backlash from the open-source community. The amendment, introduced by the same lawmaker who wrote the original bill, comes in response to concerns about forcing operating systems to collect users' ages. The move highlights the challenges of applying age-verification requirements to open-source software.
Background
California's age-verification law was designed to protect minors online but faced criticism for its broad application to operating systems. The law would have required OS developers to implement age-verification mechanisms, raising concerns about privacy and feasibility for open-source projects.
- Source
- Hacker News (RSS)
- Published
- May 26, 2026 at 02:19 AM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10