AmoxtliMar 2

California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup

https://thelemmy.club/post/45187928

California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup - The Lemmy Club

Lemmy

Show threadpulsewidthMar 2

Many people here are going off on wild tangents over this. You should just read the law, it’s only a couple thousand words of quite plain English.

Many here have taken completely incorrect assumptions from the title. **This law is for developers, not users. **

Summary:

  • Requires OS devs ask for DOB, age, or both at account creation time.
  • Requires an API that allows app store devs to request this age data for the account. At minimum this must specify the account is a member of one of these categories: ‘user under 13, user over 13 and under 16, user is over 16 and under 18, user is over 18’.

    • gasp

  • Explicitly bars OS devs from sending more data than explicitly necessary to meet 1 (hint: photo ID, facial recognition).
  • Explicitly bars app devs recieving the data from requesting more data from the OS nor the App store.
  • Bars app stores from using the data for any other reason and specifically calls out anticompetitive practices.
  • Bars app store and OS devs from sharing this data with any third party for any other reason than to comply with this law.
  • Has injunctions and civil penalties of $2500 (max per user) affected by negligent violations (eg a child account is served adult content), and $7500 (max per user) affected by intentional violations.

    • The only problem I have with this is that it should only apply to commercial software (app stores and OS). Libre/FOS software should not have to police ages on their app stores, due to their far reduced budgets (often zero), developer time, and the nature of the software being generally anti-centralized and anti-surveillance-capitalism. Though I’d be fine with it for FOSS software distributed via commercial app stores, as long as they gave a longer lead time to implement (EG a couple of years).

    Bill Text - AB-1043 Age verification signals: software applications and online services.

    AB 1043 Age verification signals: software applications and online services.

    Show threadRenatMar 2
    Does that mean if minor need to use computer to write essay as homework in Libre Office they couldn’t, cause age verification?
    Show threadkkj
    No, because LibreOffice would accept the under-13 age category.
    Mar 2 at 1:53pmWeb
    Show threadAceticonMar 2
    LibreOffice can be used to produce and consume Pornographic Content in the form of of erotic stories, so it makes sense (within the “logic” of this law) that it’s age-gated.
    Show threadkkjMar 2
    It cannot serve such content (or any content, for that matter). You have to either get the content (from an app that would have an age gate, such as a Web browser) or make it yourself. The law is about serving content, not about making or viewing it.
    Show threadAceticonMar 2
    Ok, that does make sense.