Mastodawn

California’s AB 1856 would exempt open-source operating systems from AB 1043 age-bracketing rules after amendments approved by the Assembly. 🐧
The bill still expands age-gating to browsers and websites, raising privacy, anonymity, security, and speech concerns cited by EFF. 🔒

@eff

🔗 https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/05/one-step-forward-two-steps-back-cas-ab-1856-exempts-open-source-expands-age-gating

#TechNews #Bill #AB1856 #AB1043 #OpenSource #AgeGating #AgeVerification #EFF #Privacy #Security #Anonymity #FreeSpeech #Transparency #DigitalRights #Internet #FOSS #California #OS

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: CA's AB 1856 Exempts Open Source But Expands Age-Gating

After public outrage, California lawmakers are moving closer to exempting open source operating systems from the sweeping age-bracketing regime mandated by last year’s Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043). Nonetheless, the current bill still jeopardizes internet users’ speech, privacy, and security....

Electronic Frontier Foundation

LSnow Jun 4

CA age verification bill AB1856 passed the Assembly and has been sent to the Senate. Today would be a good day to submit a position letter against age verification to be sure it is in before the deadline!
#ab1856 #ab1043
https://spdtcp.senate.ca.gov

Welcome to the Standing Committee on Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection | Senate Privacy, Digital Technologies, and Consumer Protection

ZeroTrustWraith Jun 3

The OS debate isn't just about workflows; it’s a compliance battleground for your fundamental digital rights.

🍎 macOS is a proprietary walled garden.

🪟 Windows is a telemetry funnel for corporate data collection.

🐧 Linux is Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). It represents native digital sovereignty.

Look at California’s shifting legislative landscape. Last year’s Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043) tried to force operating systems to mandate user age-gating. Lawmakers are trying to correct the mess via AB 1856 to exempt open-source developers but the new bill just pushes the surveillance pipeline further down, forcing browsers to silently track and broadcast user age brackets across the web.

When state laws treat technology as a top-down surveillance mechanism, proprietary systems will gladly bake enforcement right into their closed-source kernels.

FOSS isn't just a development model anymore; it's a critical tool for internet freedom and operational self-defense.

#Freedom #FOSS #Privacy #AB1043 #AB1856 #DigitalRights #OpenSource #Fediverse

Techdirt [Unofficial]Jun 2

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: CA’s AB 1856 Exempts Open Source But Expands Age-Gating

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.techdirt.com/2026/06/02/one-step-forward-two-steps-back-cas-ab-1856-exempts-open-source-but-expands-age-gating/

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: CA’s AB 1856 Exempts Open Source But Expands Age-Gating

After public outrage, California lawmakers are moving closer to exempting open-source operating systems from the sweeping age-bracketing regime mandated by last year’s Digital Age Assurance Act (AB…

Techdirt

The New Oil May 31

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: #CA's #AB1856 Exempts #OpenSource But Expands Age-Gating

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/05/one-step-forward-two-steps-back-cas-ab-1856-exempts-open-source-expands-age-gating

#AgeVerification #politics #California #privacy #FOSS

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: CA's AB 1856 Exempts Open Source But Expands Age-Gating

After public outrage, California lawmakers are moving closer to exempting open source operating systems from the sweeping age-bracketing regime mandated by last year’s Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043). Nonetheless, the current bill still jeopardizes internet users’ speech, privacy, and security....

Electronic Frontier Foundation

PrivacyDigest May 30

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: CA's #AB1856 Exempts #OpenSource But Expands Age-Gating

After public outrage, #California lawmakers are moving closer to exempting open source operating systems from the sweeping age-bracketing regime mandated by last year’s #DigitalAgeAssuranceAct (#AB1043 ). Nonetheless, the current bill still jeopardizes internet users’ speech, #privacy , and #security.
#ageverification

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/05/one-step-forward-two-steps-back-cas-ab-1856-exempts-open-source-expands-age-gating

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back: CA's AB 1856 Exempts Open Source But Expands Age-Gating

After public outrage, California lawmakers are moving closer to exempting open source operating systems from the sweeping age-bracketing regime mandated by last year’s Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043). Nonetheless, the current bill still jeopardizes internet users’ speech, privacy, and security....

Electronic Frontier Foundation

May 27

#California Wants To Exclude #Linux and Other #OpenSource Systems From New #AgeChecks

https://www.ghacks.net/2026/05/27/california-wants-to-exclude-linux-and-other-open-source-systems-from-new-age-checks//?utm_source=mas.to&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fmas.to%2F%40KNTRO&utm_id=&utm_creative=&utm_channel=mastodon_organic&utm_platform=desktop&utm_location=argentina&utm_language=es-ar&utm_variant=

#CaliforniaRepublic #GNU #GNULinux #GNU_Linux #CaliforniaDigitalAgeAssuranceAct #DigitalAgeAssuranceAct #DigitalAgeAssurance #OperatingSystems #AgeVerification #BSD #FreeBSD #AB1856 #AB1043 #BuffyWicks #GPL #MIT #Apache #ElectronicFrontierFoundation #EFF #US #USA #UnitedStates #America

California Wants To Exclude Linux and Other Open Source Systems From New Age Checks - gHacks Tech News

A proposed amendment to California's Digital Age Assurance Act would exempt open source operating systems like Linux and FreeBSD from age verification requirements.

gHacks