this post was submitted on 22 Mar 2026
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I was wondering when I would see this headline. I wonder if any other big names will make similar statements.
I also wonder whether or not grapheneos, or open source Linux OSs in general, will face any repercussions for failing to comply to these regulations due to the relatively low user count.
Hate to say it but systemd, the init system of most Linux distros, already has PRs with maintainer backing to implement DoB recording.
Some people can't kneel fast enough.
Which already has a revert commit https://github.com/systemd/systemd/pull/41179
The self-important creator of Systemd has personally blocked that PR, if I'm hearing correctly, which would suggest he or his employer Microsoft is all in on it.
"I'm not picking a side" and "this future proofs standardization" is of little comfort, that is seriously suspect. I ought to look to alternatives to SystemD(odge the issue failed).
So in other words, "Sure we built the people-crushing machines, but we didn't wire them up or turn them on."
IBM, is that you?
Maybe https://agelesslinux.org/ or systemd free distro https://without-systemd.org/wiki/index_php/Linux_distributions_without_systemd/
He left MS in January
Ugh of course. Thanks for pointing that out
That has already been closed
Maybe this'll take the shine off that wunderkinder mess and people will finally be free to choose something more reliable. I love how RH pushed this beta software so hard and my reboots are now just shite -- unreliable and occasionally ridiculously delayed.
I'll be glad to see the back of that metastatic shitball.
I'll just plug Devuan, Slackware, Gentoo and many others.
DoB recording, and ID age verification, are two different things though.
My OS has never needed to know my DoB before. What's it gonna do, make me a cake?
I imagine people behind this law are pretty interested in this small but powerful user base. I would just boldly assume that a lot of people responsible for independent software and privacy advocates are using Linux etc. So its a interesting user base for sure. But regulating open source software luckily is pretty much impossible and they wont give up their(our) privacy without a fight. Also, we will see how much the user base will grow when these regulations get tighter.
They can simply say on their download pages that residents of Brazil and California are not allowed to use their OS.
Linux Distros (so far) Refusing Age Verification
EDIT
I recommend going to Ageless Linux's site and reading up on their take on the whole issue. They clearly illustrate how poorly thought out the California law is.
I think this might be the first and only time I'll ever see Omarchy getting upvotes on this site.
The systemd dude, ever so flexible as long as the request does not come from actual users, is already working on adding this into core components, though.
Genuine question:
is Graphene a "big name"? They talk a big game and are probably one of the biggest alternative phone OSes but all results I can find are putting them at 250k users and less than 2% of the Android market share.
But, more importantly: Do they at all care about US government contracts? Red Had have RHEL. ubuntu have whatever they call their premium OS for enterprise users. Google and Apple are obvious.
Big name for government backed hacking tools to list them separately on supported devices / OS cause it's more secure.
GrapheneOS has a deal with a hardware manufacturer, Motorola. I'd consider this refusal to be a big deal on those grounds alone
Frankly I think they are the largest os vendor that is going to take a principled stance on this.