this post was submitted on 06 Mar 2026
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Ubuntu, Fedora, Linux Mint Eye Age Verification Amid California Law Backlash (9to5linux.com)
submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by floofloof@lemmy.ca to c/linux@lemmy.world
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Of course, this is not only about Ubuntu, Fedora, or Linux Mint, as it would apply to all GNU/Linux distributions, desktop environments, and application hubs lke Flathub or Snap Store, which will have to comply with the upcoming law in the near future in some way, especially since similar laws have already been proposed in other US states, including New York and Colorado.

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[–] BartyDeCanter@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Why are you even accepting this something like this should exist? What is the threat model that this is protecting against? How would it offer any protection against that threat? Why should everyone who is making any program need to ask about the age of their possible users?

In addition, the law requires that every developer of every application, commercial, FOSS, student, hobbiest, professional, or whatever verify the age bracket of every person who downloads and runs their program every time. Every time it is downloaded, every time it is run. Yes an API for this would be trivial to implement, but that’s not the point. The point is why the fuck should I have to face a $2500-$7500 fine every time some kid downloads my pong demo? Why the fuck should PyPI, GitHub, or crates.io have to get the age bracket of every user? Why should every apt request include an age flag? Because that is what the bill requires.

[–] scrubbles@poptalk.scrubbles.tech -2 points 17 hours ago

Again. Not should exist. Will exist. I fundamentally believe they won't shut up about it until something is done. "Nothing" is not an option.

If you take out the option for nothing, then this is really the next best.