[GoLUG] California age verification is nonsense

[Steve Litt]

I'm so ashamed of my former state, California. Their stupid
California's Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043) requires
every operating system provider in California to collect age
information from users at account setup and transmit that data to app
developers via a real-time API, with the law taking effect on January
1, 2027.

What is an "operating system provider?" According to
https://www.tomshardware.com/software/operating-systems/california-introduces-age-verification-law
it's "anyone who "develops, licenses, or controls the operating system
software on a computer, mobile device, or any other general purpose
computing device". My UMENU and VimOutliner programs can both be
MacGyvered to make OS calls, so do I qualify for the draconian,
lose-the-house $2,500 per affected child penalty? I have no choice but
to go back and re-license every one of the projects I've creates (and
there are others besides UMENU and VimOutliner), forbidding their use
in California.

I can understand doing this for Windows, where increasingly there's no
gap between OS and Internet. And maybe Steam, so that eight year olds
don't have access to some stupid "Shoot Up Your School" game. I
understand and approve of age verification on all social media: I was a
parent before my kids grew up. But a real OS that simply runs hardware,
HELL no!

What's next? Texas requiring you to submit your religion? Florida
requiring you to prove citizenship status? A federal law that you must
prove you're signed up with the Selective Service (for military draft)?

What a friggin stupid law.

SteveT

Steve Litt 
http://444domains.com