Online Age Checks Are Going Too Far

California's AB 1043 and Colorado's SB26-051 would require operating system providers to implement age-bracket detection during setup, exposing user age data via a real-time API to installed apps. The laws apply retroactively to existing OS installations and carry fines up to $7,500 per affected child. While major OS vendors like Microsoft, Apple, and Google could absorb compliance costs, the Linux ecosystem faces unique challenges — especially hobbyist distros like Arch and Gentoo. Ubuntu has already raised questions about ambiguous scope (servers, VMs, adult users). The author argues this is a slippery slope toward full ID verification at the OS level, threatening online anonymity and the privacy advantages that drew users to Linux in the first place.