The Online ID Check Situation is Crazy

A critical look at the App Store Accountability Act and related state-level laws (California, Colorado) that would require age verification for app stores and potentially OS installation. The piece analyzes how such legislation would affect Linux distributions and package managers like apt, Flatpak, and the AUR, noting the 5 million user threshold that might exempt most distros. It argues these laws are primarily about mass surveillance rather than child protection, and suggests that free and open-source software, self-compiled packages, and tools like Portage offer a path to non-compliance for technically savvy users.