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Oh No! Now A Federal Bill Wants OS-Level Age Verification for Everyone in the USA (itsfoss.com)
submitted 7 months ago by to c/linux@lemmy.world
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From the press release [my emphasis]:

Require operating system developers like Apple and Google to verify users’ ages when setting up a new device, rather than relying on self-reported ages.

cross-posted from: https://beehaw.org/post/25834609

The U.S. has been quietly building up a set of state-level laws that push operating system providers into the age verification plague.

California's AB 1043, signed in October 2025, requires OS providers to collect age data at account setup and pipe it to apps through a real-time API. It kicks in on January 1, 2027.

Colorado is working on something nearly identical. SB26-051 (which we covered when it was still a proposal) passed the state Senate 28-7 on March 3, 2026, and is now waiting on a House vote to become law there too.

However, these are just state-level laws. A new federal bill, H.R.8250, introduced on April 13, 2026, by Rep. Josh Gottheimer, with Rep. Elise M. Stefanik signing on as cosponsor, has us intrigued.

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[–] 19 points 7 months ago (6 children)

There is so much shit they haven’t thought of trying to ram this through it isn’t funny. Not a one of these dumb motherfuckers has any clue how tech works or what kind of headaches this is going to bring to the tech industry. It’s all feel good politics meant to look good but not actually do any good whatsoever, so theater like most of it already (see TSA). There will be so many loopholes in ways to get around it, it will be less than useless.

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  • [–] 20 points 7 months ago (5 children)

    Please, dear readers, don't let this sound encouraging (and no shade to you commenter, I'm not disagreeing with you, just adding on top).

    Broad unenforceable laws that everyone basically constantly violates because of how they're written - these are actually weapons used to perform selective enforcement.

    Speed limits are a good example, in many jurisdictions all speed limits are artificially low, everyone goes the "normal" speed, and this allows cops to pick and choose their targets. This is partially how "driving while black" could be de facto criminalized, if that reference is familiar.

    Them being bad at this stuff is not as helpful to us as it may seem, when ultimately this and many other laws have a primary purpose that supersedes the stated aims of the law. That purpose being, facilitating targeted enforcement by giving a plausible air of legitimacy.

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  • [–] 10 points 7 months ago (4 children)

    You are 100% right. They will pass all of this and it will suck for a large majority of us. I’m not suggesting it will all be unenforceable (although a large part might be). I’m venting that these people in charge are seeing an opportunity to control and limit much of what has gotten away from being easily surveilled in the first place.

    This is no different than the half a dozen various legislative “solutions” to keeping children online safe.

    • CDA (1996)
    • COPA (1998)
    • DOPA (2006)
    • COPPA 2.0 (2022)
    • KOSA (2022-24)

    The common thread is it’s never really about children or keeping anyone “safe”. It’s about controlling people and information. Previously there were lots opposition from various tech industries and infighting but this seems to be gaining traction which scares the crap out of me. The obvious technical limitations, first amendment violations, and giant loopholes from the internet being a global thing are still there but it doesn’t seem to matter.

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago (2 children)

    I flat out have not been able to "catch up" my subconscious to the alarm bells my consciousness is ringing. That's how significant the shift in the corporate stance is for me (though to be clear it's not surprising and I never saw them positively).

    Always always always the tech companies were at least a weighty line of defense, like you said. Not so much a guide toward good things but at least a "hey! I'm making money over here, don't mess that up with your bullshit!" kept things manageable. (Well. Kinda. For a while.)

    But yeah, the mask-off corporate fascism simply realizes it has shed those shackles entirely. They can directly fund and support the fascist in chief for basically all upside.

    We are in fucking trouble. Like I said, I can't even get my own goddamn brain to see the threat clearly.

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  • [+] 2 points 6 months ago (2 children)
    [deleted]
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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago* (1 child)

    I'm too old and been disappointed too many times to find that very cheering, but I appreciate ya. Pretty much strictly bummer mode for the rest of the comment, to forewarn.

    The pendulum does indeed swing, and I've lately only really noticed how thoroughly the swing back is just blocked. Co-opted into what amounts to damn near nothing... in the best cases! Progress has been defeated, thoroughly, and has been reversing for some time, and that is now accelerating.

    There is of course a low point somewhere, where things can only change, and our adventure in Iran may bring it, but the ruling class seems to have perfected the art of the slow simmer, at least here in the US. Defeating that will be ugly, but we do see some signs that they're accidentally allowing things to boil via their unchecked greed.

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  • [+] 2 points 6 months ago (1 child)
    [deleted]
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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago*

    Sidenote, I really know what you mean about "straddling two ages", what a bizarre and like...ineffably rare experience it's been. A bit older than we, and computers (modern communication) are just a strange accessory to life - it's mostly been lived IRL. Anything else must be imagined, and it isn't easy, usually isn't done very well. A bit younger than we, and there has never been a strictly IRL part of life. The slow way, that every other human before lived and died under. And so anything else must be imagined, and it isn't done very well.

    Utterly strange to one day notice this and recognize myself as among the small group of folks who really thoroughly experienced both. What a strange ride. Lucky, in its way, sincerely.

    Sidenote aside, I don't share your optimism regarding the rejection / degree of appeal for fascism and its companions, abroad. At all. Think I'll leave it there, out of simple courtesy, and from having grown bored of my own words on the subject. Cheers friend.

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