Ageless Linux. We are legally required to ask how old you are. We won't
a day ago
- #regulation
- #privacy
- #open-source
- Ageless Linux is a Debian-based operating system that intentionally does not comply with California's AB 1043, which mandates age verification for users.
- AB 1043 defines 'operating system provider' broadly, including anyone who controls the contents of system identification files like /etc/os-release.
- The law requires OS providers to collect and transmit age data for users, but Ageless Linux refuses to do so, arguing it builds unnecessary surveillance infrastructure.
- AB 1043 is seen as a compliance moat that benefits large tech companies (Apple, Google, Microsoft) while burdening small, volunteer-driven projects like Linux distributions.
- Ageless Linux includes a stub age verification API in standard mode and a 'flagrant' mode that openly refuses compliance, inviting enforcement action.
- The project plans to distribute sub-$15 devices preloaded with Ageless Linux to children, creating tangible violations of AB 1043 to challenge the law's enforcement.
- Critics argue AB 1043 teaches children to lie about their age and does little to actually protect them, while creating legal risks for open-source developers.
- Ageless Linux advocates for honest safety advice over technical controls, citing research that shows teens bypass age verification and parents prefer education.