US Congress · GitHub · The Register
Linux may get a hall pass from one state age-check bill, but Congress plays hall monitor
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The prospect of OS-level age checks applying to open source systems is a serious concern for FOSS advocates.
Key facts
- If the FOSS desk were running the show, they might start by repealing the Communications Decency Act of 1996, Section 230, which "provides limited federal immunity to providers and users of interactive
- In that story, they also reported on the independent TBOTE Project, which is investigating the funding of the lobbying efforts and the relatively new conservative pressure groups pressing for the laws
- The prospect of OS-level age checks applying to open source systems is a serious concern for FOSS advocates
- Carl Richell, founder of Linux PC vendor System76, reports some encouraging news from the company’s home state of Colorado: the bill is still moving, but amended language appears likely to exclude
Summary
Carl Richell, founder of Linux PC vendor System76, reports some encouraging news from the company’s home state of Colorado: the bill is still moving, but amended language appears likely to exclude FOSS OSes and some of the tools used to build and distribute them. This story has been developing for some months now: they first reported on this new legislation in early March, and the following week on Richell's campaigning efforts. In that story, they also reported on the independent TBOTE Project, which is investigating the funding of the lobbying efforts and the relatively new conservative pressure groups pressing for the laws, such as the Digital Childhood Alliance (founded in 2025). On Tuesday, in a Mastodon post, Richell reported:.