Nanny state vs. Linux: show us your ID, kid

"Several states in the US are now demanding that operating system vendors collect and store the age or date of birth for each user account. Now, for Apple and Microsoft, it's no big deal. Microsoft, for instance, requires Windows 11 users to have a Microsoft account, and Apple, while claiming it's a privacy-first platform, still examines every photo you take with Apple's Enhanced Visual Search."

"It's a different story with Linux and the other open source operating systems, like the BSDs. They have always been about empowering their users to do anything they want, within the confines of their licenses, anyway, anytime they want, no matter whether they're five or ninety-five."

"With the US Congress advancing its own App Store Accountability Act, and more state lawmakers floating copycat bills, OS‑level age verification is poised to become a standard part of how Americans set up phones, tablets and PCs within the next few years."

New age verification laws in several US states mandate that operating system vendors collect and store user age or date of birth information. While major corporations like Microsoft and Apple can accommodate these requirements, open-source operating systems like Linux and BSD face significant challenges as they prioritize user empowerment and freedom. The trend extends beyond the US, with the EU developing minor protection guidelines, Brazil already implementing age-verification laws for operating systems, and the UK considering similar measures. Congressional efforts like the App Store Accountability Act suggest OS-level age verification will likely become standard across American devices within years, despite historical failures of age-restriction efforts.

Read at Theregister