California amendment would exempt Linux from age verification law

A California amendment bill aims to exempt most mainstream open-source Linux distributions from the state's upcoming age-verification requirements. The original Digital Age Assurance Act, passed in late 2025, was designed to shift the burden of age verification from individual websites to the operating system level. Under the law, operating systems would be required to request a user's age bracket during device setup, which would then be exposed to apps and stores offering age-restricted services, according to Tech Radar.

The Linux community had raised concerns that the open-source nature of the software, lacking commercial ownership and centralized account infrastructure, would make enforcing such a policy difficult. The proposed amendment redefines "operating system provider" to exclude entities distributing software under licenses that permit user modification and redistribution, effectively exempting Linux. This means commercial operating systems like Windows and macOS will still be subject to the law.

The amendment also extends the Act's scope to include browser providers and website operators, and mandates that OS vendors share only the minimum necessary information. The amendment bill is currently in its early stages and requires passage through two legislative chambers.

Source: Tech Radar