Ubuntu Linux is planning to comply with Age Verification law.
On the unfortunate need for an "age verification" API for legal compliance reasons in some U.S. states
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2026-March/043510.html
Ubuntu Linux is planning to comply with Age Verification law.
On the unfortunate need for an "age verification" API for legal compliance reasons in some U.S. states
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2026-March/043510.html
@nixCraft Time to switch to TempleOS.
@nixCraft system wide age could work...
Imagine: if it would be forbidden to track users below 18 or to show them ads.
Everyone will put a low age into the API.
But then the interesting stuff becomes unavailable.
That may incite people not to lie about the age.
Maybe.
I will put maxint into the age field and see the servers burn down.
@nixCraft I imagine it will get implemented as some xdg desktop portal shit with an accompanying web api. But I also fear that if you were to not comply with it, you would end up like a browser without chrome in its ua. In a completely different world of older technology and issues.
How about we make arch install scripts more user friendly, can't regulate the OS if its distributed in parts right?
@nixCraft pretty wild how *somebody* has all of this shovel-ready legislation ready to ram through the moment there is the distraction of another war.
Love living in an age where things get a little worse day by day, except for the days where things get a lot worse. You can always count on things not getting better, freedoms always contracting. Wheee
@nixCraft They don’t know if they’ll do anything at all: https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/ubuntus-response-to-californias-digital-age-assurance-act-ab-1043/77948
@nixCraft that is shocking! I use Kubuntu, i guess it is time to switch
@nixCraft So many people in this thread picking on Ubuntu for this, but it’s certainly not limited to them, or even just to commercial distros. Here’s the #Debian discussion on the matter. https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2026/03/msg00016.html
Yes, this requirement is bullshit. No, pretending it doesn’t exist is not a viable response.
@nixCraft oh, I thought this was a joke...
@nixCraft as noted in https://masto.bike/@stephavelo/116171037808417595 , the statement in your post is not accurate. Please update your post to correct the misinformation or take it down.
@nixCraft cool will remove that crap of my remaining server
@nixCraft utterly pointless because anyone can lie about their age.
But then I guess that’s the point. First they make us lie about it. Then they say “too many people are lying about their age so we have to do ID checks” and then it’s “we need to tie the ID check to everything you do online”
Meanwhile the actual crooks have run rings round the whole system and stolen someone else’s identity.
Result: everyone is less safe but “something was done about the kids looking at pron”
It appears to be a discussion not an announcement of a decision. Am I missing something? In replies another suggests banningntje use of canonical in those states for example.
It is authoritarianism plain and dimple, it is the end of privacy and the first amendment, its a brain implant from Musk.
Fuck California Dems. Throw them out at primaries. 1st Amendment Dems, New Deal Dems. Start the removal.
Get organised.
@nixCraft
The heck?!
The fact that you are using Linux isn't age verification enough?!? 😂😂
"Canonical is aware of the legislation and is reviewing it internally with legal counsel, but there are currently no concrete plans on how, or even whether, Ubuntu will change in response.
The recent mailing list post is an informal conversation among Ubuntu community members, not an announcement."
@nixCraft Bye bye Ubuntu. 😑
@nixCraft I'm shocked that it's not a systemd module
Here is how they can make it user friendly for those who lives outside those states:
cat /etc/age-verification.conf
#Enabled=On|True|1
#Enabled=Off|False|0
This needs to be configured at first boot or install time. Please note that the nature of opensource makes it next to impossible to do something like this.
@nixCraft every is going to be born on 1/1/1970.
Problem solved.
@nixCraft will this reach downstream Mint?
or upstream Debian (does it still exist?)