Eric SchultzMar 21

A small set of people are merging changes to various Linux components to make sure every application knows your birth date.

This is being done rapidly by people with questionable justifications and being merged with no youth and few marginalized people involved.

https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/accountsservice/accountsservice/-/merge_requests/176#0b07c0cc4d49be119f65cdb2037440f56eed647a

user: Add BirthDate with polkit-gated GetBirthDate and SetBirthDate methods (!176) · Merge requests · accountsservice / accountsservice · GitLab

Summary Add a BirthDate field to the user account interface. For non-homed users, the value is stored...

GitLab
Show threadArtemysiaMar 21
@wwahammy why the fuck are people complying in advance? Where is the commitment to software freedom?
Show threadJustin FitzsimmonsMar 21

@artemis @wwahammy this isn't complying in advance, it's complying with the law. Which passed unanimously through the California assembly and senate and was signed into law by Gavin Newsom in 2025. It's not going to be repealed.

Open source projects do not have the type of budget that allows them to merely ignore the law and shrug off fines and legal fees.

Show threadArtemysiaMar 21
@smn @wwahammy I don't understand how California gets to mandate this. People can download software from wherever they want. Host your project outside of California.
Show threadMaxi 12x 💉Mar 21
@artemis @smn @wwahammy What if you are Californian? Could get you in legal trouble.
Show threadChris Goss
Lobby the fools that inflicted this on you
Mar 21 at 3:47amWeb