The unfortunate need for an "age verification" API for legal compliance(lists.ubuntu.com)
lists.ubuntu.com
The unfortunate need for an "age verification" API for legal compliance
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2026-March/043510.html
10 comments
Easy, "For legal reasons, this OS is not available in California"
This is the way. California wants stupid (even immoral) laws? Companies cannot use those OS? Oh noes, what a shame.
Also, why the age brackets? It should be a simple boolean whether the user is an adult or not. Age brackets enable targeting.
Also the idea itself is just useless because kids will just learn to patch binaries.
Also, why the age brackets? It should be a simple boolean whether the user is an adult or not. Age brackets enable targeting.
Also the idea itself is just useless because kids will just learn to patch binaries.
I just realized. Does this mean that developing an OS without age checks is illegal in those states?
It seems shortsighted to define the age bracket API specifically around California's chosen four brackets. Why not merely return two integers bounding the age bracket, so that the API can adapt to different regulatory environments?
An official response from Ubuntu:
https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/ubuntus-response-to-californi...
The email linked here are ideas from an Ubuntu contributor, not an official response.
https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/ubuntus-response-to-californi...
The email linked here are ideas from an Ubuntu contributor, not an official response.
Do we know whether any Linux distributions will be refusing to implement anything like this?
I'd personally love to see the fireworks if Microsoft refuses to implement this, and takes no action to prevent Windows from being imported into or used in California?
How could California plausibly respond that would harm Microsoft more than its own economy?
How could California plausibly respond that would harm Microsoft more than its own economy?
Microsoft would never do that. They'll rebrand this as "Defender of Verification," package it into a bigger deal where you have no idea what you're buying, and then find a way to cram AI into it.
Perhaps they should release a "Kids" version of Ubuntu for regions where age verification is important.
Use it as an opportunity to promote the "Ubuntu Core" architecture (i.e., "immutable" Ubuntu) just like Microsoft did with Windows "S" editions.
Use it as an opportunity to promote the "Ubuntu Core" architecture (i.e., "immutable" Ubuntu) just like Microsoft did with Windows "S" editions.
Edubuntu comes to mind.