When Linux becomes illegal, only outlaws will run Linux.
this post was submitted on 23 Apr 2026
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When Linux becomes illegal the internet ceases to exist. Show me 1 Windows or Mac powered network switch, router, edge firewall you've ever known. I'll wait
oh they'll put a clause that allows for that, but only if it's made in America and has a locked down bootloader...
Just realized that would mean FLOCK dies. -several thousand downsides, but that- THAT would be an upside.
You assume Flock was ever legal in the first place
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Laws are for the poor, they don't apply to the rich.
Also, Android and Chrome OS are Linux distros.
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The only way to stop a bad guy with Linux is with a good guy with Linux
I am curious how they will ask for ID for each IOT devices ? Does a ring 0 micro linux need an ID before loading th OS ?
Finally torrenting linux ISOβs will no longer work as an euphemism for pirating.
Torrenting "LLM training data"
I seed so Gen Ai can reach AGI sooner! /s
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Fuck em.
Thats the spirit.
Governments can't even effectively tackle drugs, illegal weapons or CSAM. Gl making something as distributed as linux illegal.
When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty!
Just sounds like they want to force you to have operating systems that monitor you at every turn.
Explicitly yes. With a side bonus that their donors are enriched.
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More of a reason to use Linux. Fuck the tyrants.
At least in the US there's precedent that source code is protected speech, so we may see the year of the Gentoo desktop.
Compiled code ought to be too then tbh.
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I hear the latest efforts (mainly from the System76 guy) to counter bad bills about age verification/attestation have brought amendments to exempt open source operating systems, in at least one jurisdiction.
So the pedo-cabal's plan to protect our children (by doxing them), has a gaping hole in it.
Oh however will the pedo-cabal manage to protect our children now?
:3
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Fuck 'em.
If I can touch it, I can own it.
Dude can you all stop with this nonsense, all servers are run on linux, they will never be illegal!
The laws generally apply to devices that connect to the internet and run an OS, excluding simple appliances or legacy offline systems. Smartphones and Tablets: (iOS, Android) Personal Computers: (Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, Linux distributions with GUIs that connect to the internet)
Means just use Linux without GUI and you have a bypass smh ππππ
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Would be very funny if we manage to eliminate Linux OS distributions on the internet before we eliminate CSAM on the internet.
I'm not holding my breath on either.
The CSAM guys are the very ones attacking Linux.
Sounds like we should cause a bit of mayhem prior to that point π
"When I go to [do normal, totally uncontroversial thing]... and [nonsensical catastrophe that I made up in my head happens]."
There are a lot of bills that threaten privacy and could, if taken to a logical conclusion, result in the criminalizaion of open-source operating systems. This isn't as nonsensical as it was ten years ago. I think it's still very unlikely, but it's been moved into the realm of "reasonable possibility."
Hell, if only they made Linux open source so that we could change anything we didn't like about the age verification stuff.
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Jokes on them. I'm a pirate who likes Linux.
Arrgh! Me matey! It's off to Antarctica with us, then! Penguins ho!
then you move to gentoo, BSD or retro computing using existing cds/floppies/usbs
Then I'll die an outlaw
No it's not.
They can't really make linux illegal. They'll make selling devices without age verification illegal. Essentially making selling devices with an OS that doesn't play ball illegal.
Just means we will have to wipe the preinstalled OS, as is already the custom. Also means there will likely be efforts to lock down consumer devices similar to how Android OEMs make it difficult to impossible to unlock the bootloader
They can't make it illegal, but with a little frog-boiling, they can make it functionally useless for visiting websites you might need to use. No identity verification = no access, and Linux = no identity verification.
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Do it. Make the outernet. I'm sure you'll do a much better job of controlling it then
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