California May Exempt Linux from Its Age-Verification Law
After backlash from the Linux community, California may be backing off on its promise to force all operating systems to verify age, but one platform may still have to comply.
Under California's Digital Age Assurance Act (AB1043 scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2027), operating systems will be required to verify the ages of users during initial setup, an act that sent a wave of outrage through the Linux community.
Now, it seems, Assembly Bill 1856 (AB 1856) is making its way through the California legislature, which would exempt the likes of Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Fedora, Zorin OS, and other Linux distributions from having to comply. The new bill states:
"This bill would delete that definition of ‘user’ and would specify that the requirement of an operating system provider to provide an accessible interface applies if the operating system provider’s operating system has an account setup feature with respect to the use of the operating system on a particular device."
The proposed amendment would exclude software that is distributed under licenses that allow users to copy, redistribute, and modify the software. In other words, operating systems that are released under an open source license, such as Linux.
AB1856 has been given light because the Linux operating system is not controlled by a single entity controlled by a centralized, commercial organization.
There is one catch: SteamOS may still fall under the weight of the Digital Age Assurance Act, because it ships with a proprietary storefront and client.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
California May Exempt Linux from Its Age-Verification Law
After backlash from the Linux community, California may be backing off on its promise to force all operating systems to verify age, but one platform may still have to comply.
-
Another Logic Bug Found in Linux Kernel
Qualys has discovered a vulnerability in the Linux kernel that can be used to elevate standard user privileges.
-
Ubuntu Core 26 Offers Game-Changing Enterprise Features
Ubuntu Core 26 could be a game-changer for organizations looking for increased security and reliability.
-
AI Flooding the Linux Kernel Security Mailing List
AI is giving Linus Torvalds a headache, but not in the way you might think.
-
Top Priorities for Open Source Pros Seeking a New Job
Professional fulfillment tops the list, according to LPI report.
-
Container-Based Fedora Hummingbird Designed for Agent-First Builders
Fedora Hummingbird brings the same approach to the host OS as it does to containers to level up security.
-
Linux kernel Developers Considering a Kill Switch
With the rise of Linux vulnerabilities, the kernel developers are now considering adding a component that could help temporarily mitigate against them… in the form of a kill switch.
-
Fedora 44 Now Gaming Ready
The latest version of Fedora has been released with gaming support.
-
Manjaro 26.1 Preview Unveils New Features
The latest Manjaro 26.1 preview has been released with new desktop versions, a new kernel, and more.
-
Microsoft Issues Warning About Linux Vulnerability
The company behind Windows has released information about a flaw that affects millions of Linux systems.