Technology

California law will require all Operating Systems — including Linux — to verify user age by 2027

California's AB-1043 mandates that all operating systems and app stores collect a user's age bracket at account setup and expose it via a system-level API for apps to query. For now it's self-reported (no ID scanning), but it applies to any OS downloadable in California — meaning Linux distros could be forced to add a date-of-birth prompt at install time or face civil penalties. Privacy advocates warn it's a dangerous precedent for baking identity checks directly into the OS layer.