this post was submitted on 02 Mar 2026
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California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup (www.tomshardware.com)
submitted 1 day ago by Amoxtli@thelemmy.club to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] Railcar8095@lemmy.world 46 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

The only problem have with this is that it should only apply to commercial software (app stores and 0S). Libre/FOS software should not have to police ages on their app stores,

It's a bit like saying the only problem with the Titanic is the water inside.

The law is bad, whether it can be worse or not is just tangential. But still, this law as is applies to computers, phones... And nas, some routers, watches, advance calculators... As they all have OS and can install apps. As per app stores, guess what, thats the GNOME app store, but also flatpak, jellyfin (can install apps as plugins), pip, docker, git... And what about plain executables? Githut should ask for your age too to download artifacts?

Porn started with only age verification by the user as a prompt, and we see where that is going now.

[–] pulsewidth@lemmy.world 1 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Just read the law. It is barely 1000 words.

But still, this law as is applies to computers, phones... And nas, some routers, watches, advance calculators... As they all have OS and can install apps.

No. It specifically only applies to general purpose computing devices which means all of the items you listed after computers and phones are not affected. Can you hook up a monitor to your NAS without involving a soldering board and some additional hardware? Your router? Then it's not general purpose computing. They both require additional computers to interface with them to be used. 'General purpose computing device' has been referred in prior legal documents to mean:

"means any general purpose computing device (e.g. server product, personal computer, desktop, laptop, netbook, slate or tablet), including any device that is designed as, marketed as, or capable (through docking or otherwise) of performing the functions of, such general purpose computing devices, and any replacement for any of the foregoing."

(c) “Application” means a software application that may be run or directed by a user on a computer, a mobile device, or any other general purpose computing device that can access a covered application store or download an application.

(e) (1) “Covered application store” means a publicly available internet website, software application, online service, or platform that distributes and facilitates the download of applications from third-party developers to users of a computer, a mobile device, or any other general purpose computing that can access a covered application store or can download an application.

You then go on to complain about it affecting FOSS stores? That's exactly my complaint. Who are you convincing here?

Jellyfin, Docker, git??

(2) “Covered application store” does not mean an online service or platform that distributes extensions, plug-ins, add-ons, or other software applications that run exclusively within a separate host application.

No.

[–] Railcar8095@lemmy.world 1 points 10 hours ago

'General purpose computing device' has been referred in prior legal documents to mean: "means any general purpose computing device

Great, general computing device means general computing device. Brilliant.

Then you come with the requirement of a monitor.... Why? That's not on the definition. And isn't a router a server product? Servers generally don't need a monitor

Docker or git are not distributing extensions, and on Linux docker doesn't run on a separate host application, unless you bend the meaning of containers to the point of nonsense. I'm curious about the reasoning for git.

From what you said, only jellifin is excluded in my example.

I'm not trying to convince anybody, just explain the current and potential future issues.