Age Verification API Nightmare

On the unfortunate need for an "age verification" API for legal compliance reasons in some U.S. states Aaron Rainbolt Sun Mar 1 19:48:00 UTC 2026 Next message (by thread): On the unfortunate need for an "age verification" API for legal compliance reasons in some U.S. states Messages sorted by [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ] Given that this is related to legal stuff, I should preface this by saying I am not a lawyer. Recently, a new law was passed in California that requires OS vendors to provide some limited info about a user's age via an app store application distribution websites and application stores can use. [1] Colorado seems to be working on a similar law. [2] The law will go into effect January 1, 2027, it is no longer a draft. I do quite a bit of work with an OS vendor (working with the Kicksecure [3] and Whonix [4] projects), and we aren't particularly interested in blocking everyone in California and Colorado from using our OSes, so we're currently looking into how to implement an API that will comply with the laws while also not being a privacy disaster. Given that this is also investigating what to do with this, and the law requires us to make a "good faith effort to comply with [the] title, taking consideration available technology", I figured it would be a good idea to bring the issue here.

A screenshot of a technical mailing-list post by Aaron Rainbolt discusses the unfortunate prospect of adding an age-verification API to Linux operating systems. The joke is the collision between legal compliance and Linux’s privacy-focused culture: developers must somehow verify users’ ages without creating a privacy disaster, while also avoiding blocking users in entire U.S. states. It is sent as a reaction to bureaucratic overreach, digital surveillance, and absurd technology requirements. EN: A screenshot of a technical mailing-list post by Aaron Rainbolt discusses the unfortunate prospect of adding an age-verification API to Linux operating systems. The joke is the collision between legal compliance and Linux’s privacy-focused culture: developers must somehow verify users’ ages without creating a privacy disaster, while also avoiding blocking users in entire U.S. states. It is sent as a reaction to bureaucratic overreach, digital surveillance, and absurd technology requirements.

• @gentoomemes / 20184 2026-03-03
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