Why are they pushing Linux so hard? Many here are already on it. (sarcasm aside, ye this is not great news.)
this post was submitted on 16 Apr 2026
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Wouldn't this just be unenforceable for any Linux distros not directly owned/maintained by a US-based corporation? I don't really see how they could force a distro to comply, unless they start going after individual maintainers who live in the US.
If you read this ~~law~~ bill in the strictest way, it makes almost no sense. It says that anyone who makes or controls an operating system has to check the age of every person who uses it. But it does not limit this to big companies. That could mean volunteers who help build Debian or even someone at home making their own version of Linux. The ~~law~~ bill would expect them to build a system that asks for (and verifies) a birthday before you can use the computer.
It gets even stranger with websites like GitHub. If someone downloads shared code and uses it, the person who posted it might be seen as responsible. But they have no way to know who downloaded it or what they did with it. The ~~law~~ bill would still expect their system to check ages and share that information with app makers.
Gets even more absurd when you start to dig at the definition of an 'operating system'.
Besides computers and phones, lots of small electronic devices have a rudimentary OS built into them, including (among many other things) a lot of appliances these days. Forget needing to verify your age in order to use your computer, say hello to needing to verify your age in order to use a refrigerator ... or a gas pump.
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They have many ways to do this if they want:
- go after US entities, like the Linux Foundation. They only need to go after enough to make them fall in line
- Make it illegal to distribute non compliant systems, including downloads
- Make it illegal to operate or even possess a non compliant system
Even if they don't go after individuals they can do a lot of damage in restricting trade and business use of something. The mere threat of legal action is though to make business owners nope out.
It's already risky to draw attention to yourself by using privacy focused phones when traveling. It's the ultimate "if your have nothing to hide why are you worried" situation.
They're forcing legitimate users to either give up or go underground and risk being seen as criminals.
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I see how this is bad from a privacy standpoint, but how does it affect device ownership?
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Canadian here. If I can't find a Linux distro that will not comply with this bullshit law, I'll use my GrapheneOS phone and nothing else. Wouldn't be the first time in my life I used a phone for everything.
Artix straight-up refused, and I presume antiX's general stance is against age-gating as they proudly state their anti-fascist stance in their tagline, and as far as I'm aware Devuan is against age-gating as well. I also can assume Parabola and Hyperbola are against this as well.
And then of course Ageless is protestware.
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