On 3/7/26 12:38 PM, Ralf Mardorf wrote:
On Sat, 2026-03-07 at 18:28 +0000, Some Guy called wrote:
Will Arch Linux add age verification to comply with Californian laws?
Looking forward to your answer!
Hi,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media_age_verification_laws_in_the_United_States
Isn't this about social media garbage that feeds children one trashy
video after another via algorithms, pornography, fake news, etc.?
I'm not a lawyer, and I've only skimmed the wiki very, very
superficially, but children should be encouraged to learn computer
skills through Arch forums, even if it means they sometimes spend a
little too much time sitting in front of the screen.
I'd say Ralf is working on his honorary law degree in noting the
application of the laws to social media content and other potentially
harmful content, etc, i.e. "content deemed problematic such as
pornography and to reduce the negative impact of social media on the
mental health and well-being of children and adolescents".
https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf
It would be difficult to make the argument that any Arch content
falls within the scope of the proposals. That notwithstanding, even if
you could make the argument it applied to Arch, the individual state
laws are currently enjoined on free-speech grounds and will take years
to be settled (social media co's have plenty of money to extend the
litigation near indefinitely).
Bottom line, there is no single US age verification law, applicable
to the nation as a whole, and likely won't be for the foreseeable future
(same money involved). There is no way to design any system to comply
with the moving target of "maybe" future legislation.
Now if Arch starts spinning smut, then it may be time to reconsider,
but were I representing Arch, I'd tell you not to lose too much sleep
over the issue.
Ralf makes another good point. We want to encourage participation in
Arch and open-source by those who find there way here, so diplomacy
rather than vinegar is always a better way to respond to new user posts
-- especially when they come seeking help :)
Just my Sunday $.02
--
David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E.
