this post was submitted on 04 Mar 2026
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TLDW:

Brazil is requiring OS level age verification by march 17th, 2026.

New York about to vote on a law that would "require all manufacturers of internet-enabled devices, operating systems, or application stores to conduct commercially reason-able and technically feasible age assurance for users at the point of device activation."

In order to “incentivize” age verification, The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that they will ignore COPPA violations for software performing age verification.

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[–] Canconda@lemmy.ca 108 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (2 children)

In order to “incentivize” age verification, The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced that they will ignore COPPA violations for software performing age verification.

COPPA prevents companies from collecting data on minors without parental consent.

Sounds like the Epstein Class is still in charge of the FTC.

[–] Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world 40 points 1 hour ago

Feels weird upvoting this comment. I have to remind myself. It's not you I'm mad at. You're not the one doing this. You're just the messanger.

[–] webghost0101@sopuli.xyz 17 points 1 hour ago

The irony knows no bounds, the one half decent reason age verification could exists for is so these companies have no more excuses to ignore coppa because now they can just pretend everyone is a consenting adult.

[–] Mikina@programming.dev 5 points 27 minutes ago* (last edited 26 minutes ago)

So this is the thing I'll eventually end up in jail for bypassing. I coul've sworn it would be drugs.

Oh well.

[–] minorkeys@lemmy.world 40 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

They are taking the power of personal computing away from us...

[–] CosmoNova@lemmy.world 30 points 1 hour ago

Pretty much. They‘re essentially outlawing privacy so there will be no point in resisting. This is worse than Orwellian.

[–] Pratai@piefed.ca 3 points 25 minutes ago

Dumb phones are about to get crazy popular. I miss my Pebbl.

[–] tidderuuf@lemmy.world 50 points 2 hours ago (3 children)

It's gonna be fun when people are sitting around a campfire talking about how bad tech ceos, wall street backed corporations, enshittification, corrupt politicians and fascism all led to the extinction of the tech golden age... as they prepare their spears to fight the next wave of machines coming to harvest them.

[–] TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world 9 points 1 hour ago

Pedal powered microwave.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 6 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

You're way too optimistic.

I'm putting my money on Mr. Burns, A Post Electric Play.

[–] 9tr6gyp3@lemmy.world 12 points 1 hour ago (2 children)

Accountless linux distros incoming

[–] henfredemars@infosec.pub 13 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Can’t wait for distros to post a disclaimer that this software is strictly intended only for use on the moon.

[–] morto@piefed.social 7 points 38 minutes ago (1 children)

Better yet. Say that the software isn't intended for any use at all and they don't allow you to download it, but then leave an open directory with the images

[–] MagicShel@lemmy.zip 2 points 23 minutes ago

"By downloading this software, you agree you are a very naughty boy or girl."

[–] SinningStromgald@lemmy.world 2 points 32 minutes ago

Isn't Tails OS accountless? At least the non-persistent version.

[–] danielbp@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 hour ago (2 children)

Brazil is not requiring OS level age verification. This information is false.

[–] potatoguy@mbin.potato-guy.space 12 points 1 hour ago (2 children)

I checked again at the law and it seems it says operating systems directly.

The law and a review for the federated world made by another user that I'm not remembering. (It's in portuguese)

Edit:

CAPÍTULO IV

DOS MECANISMOS DE AFERIÇÃO DE IDADE

Art. 10. Os fornecedores de produtos ou serviços de tecnologia da informação direcionados a crianças e a adolescentes ou de acesso provável por eles deverão adotar mecanismos para proporcionar experiências adequadas à idade, nos termos deste Capítulo, respeitadas a autonomia progressiva e a diversidade de contextos socioeconômicos.

Only products or services that are directed at children or teenagers or with probable access to them should do age verification.

[...]

Art. 12. Os provedores de lojas de aplicações de internet e de sistemas operacionais de terminais deverão:

I – tomar medidas proporcionais, auditáveis e tecnicamente seguras para aferir a idade ou a faixa etária dos usuários, observados os princípios previstos no art. 6º da Lei nº 13.709, de 14 de agosto de 2018 (Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados Pessoais);

The App Store providers and terminal operating systems should:

Give proportional, auditable and tecnically secure ways to do age verification.

[–] potatoguy@mbin.potato-guy.space 4 points 47 minutes ago

I'm going to install templeos.

[–] morto@piefed.social 2 points 40 minutes ago (1 children)

But what's a terminal operating system in this context?

[–] potatoguy@mbin.potato-guy.space 3 points 38 minutes ago

Who knows? Probably not even the legislators, but I'm already seeing every judge accepting this as everything that's on a computer, the smartphones being represented at the app store obligation.

[–] CompostMaterial@lemmy.world 1 points 20 seconds ago

Whether it is or is not doesn't really matter, none of the major operating system are developed in Brazil so there are really no consequences for ignoring the law, whst are they going to do ban all computers? Good luck with that.

[–] supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 4 points 45 minutes ago

Everyone who was casually onboard with this because it felt righteous can fuck off.

[–] TriplePlaid@wetshav.ing 13 points 1 hour ago

Pretty soon you'll be hearing folks say things like "why are you worried if you don't have anything to hide" as if personal privacy has no value whatsoever. It's a slippery slope!!!

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 19 points 1 hour ago (2 children)

Linus Torvalds is the closest thing Linux has to a manufacturer

[–] webghost0101@sopuli.xyz 19 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Linux is just a kernel.

Redhat with fedora and steam with the arch based steam os will be the ones that have to implement it.

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 18 points 1 hour ago (2 children)

Adding that nonsense to enterprise Linux distros will be hilarious to watch.

And Steam can just sell blank hardware and let you install some distro you find on the Internet. Streetlight did that with one of their albums.

And what happens when someone forks fedora and removes it for their own machine. Who’s the manufacturer then?

[–] webghost0101@sopuli.xyz 13 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

I am pretty sure anyone will still be able to install a distro/fork from a free country, but steam is unlikely to go this route because convenience is part of the package. They may not even care to resist because they already ask your age for the steam store.

I am more curious what this will do for non standard devices with multiple users. Even kitchen equipment may run a derivative of linux these days and they don't come with keyboard access.

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 7 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

I hadn’t even thought of those. Are Samsung fridges going to verify my age?

[–] SinningStromgald@lemmy.world 1 points 38 minutes ago

You will have to show ID to prove you are of age to drink if there is alcohol in it if you want to open it. No ID, no fridge access.

[–] meme_historian@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 59 minutes ago

You're probably writing that on a device that has a secure boot chain. So far it was there without strict enforcement, but once the manufacturers decide you only get your shit signed if you implement $ARBITRARY_ORWELLIAN_GOV_RULE, you're pretty much fucked.

[–] zewm@lemmy.world -1 points 57 minutes ago

You and the 13 people that upvoted you have zero understanding of what an operating system is.

[–] nialv7@lemmy.world 1 points 16 minutes ago

please don't get this guy any attention. he is a far right conspiracy theorist.

[–] Ulrich@feddit.org 5 points 1 hour ago

Downboats for Lunduke

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca -1 points 23 minutes ago

OS's

I don't need to read further. If you can't pluralize OS, I don't trust you to speak on it.