The Ageleless Linux distribution has been released, designed to counter laws mandating the addition of APIs for age verification in operating systems. Ageleless Linux is marked as a distribution for people of indefinite age, fundamentally non-compliant with age verification laws. Among other things, the distribution implements a placeholder for the age verification API, which always returns an indefinite age.
To install it, a script named become-ageless.sh is provided, allowing any installed Debian GNU/Linux to be converted into Ageleless Linux. The script replaces the /etc/os-release file and includes information about non-compliance with age verification laws (COMPLIANCE_STATUS="refused", API_STATUS="refused", VERIFICATION_STATUS="flagrantly noncompliant"), adds a directory /etc/ageless/ with reports on the violated laws, and implements a prototype of a fake API to provide applications with information about users' ages. The API implementation is limited to the script /etc/ageless/age-verification-api.sh, which returns the error "ERROR: Age data not available" for all requests, noting that all users in the system have an indefinite age.
As age verification mechanisms are implemented in distributions, the script intends to expand its capabilities to remove or block such mechanisms in various distributions. For example, if a D-Bus interface "org.freedesktop.AgeVerification1" is implemented in Fedora Linux, the script will be adapted for use in Fedora to remove the handler implementing this interface, or to provide packages with an alternative handler that returns an indefinite age. Similarly, if a request for age appears in the Ubuntu installer, the script will be expanded to remove this request, and if Debian integrates age information transmission in the AccountsService, the Ageleless Linux project will take on the maintenance of a modified fork of AccountsService.
Laws that have been adopted or are in the process of approval, mandating age verification checks, do not prohibit the distribution of operating systems without age confirmation but impose fines on providers responsible for the development, licensing, or installation of such operating systems. By running the script from the Ageleless Linux project, the user takes on the role of the "operating system provider." It is assumed that if a child uses a computer with Ageleless Linux, the user who installed this distribution may be considered the provider who supplied the operating system to the child without indicating their age during account creation. It is presumed that there are no harmed children in such a situation, only individuals whose ages are unknown.
The project also aims to distribute devices based on the Milk-V Duo S platform, designed to comply with California Law AB1043 but intentionally not meeting its requirements. There are also plans to launch an application catalog at store.agelesslinux.org, through which users will have the ability to install a Python language learning environment, a text editor, the game "Snake," an IRC client with warnings about the dangers of communicating with strangers, and an 8-line script called "peepee," which displays the word "peepee" on the screen (it is assumed that installing such a script without age verification may result in a fine).
The creators of Ageleless Linux are attempting to demonstrate the absurdity of the introduced age verification laws by distributing devices with overt, documented, and deliberate violations of Law AB1043, which threatens penalties. In January 2027, such devices are planned to be distributed to children at school fairs and library events. It is noted that receiving a fine better than any discussion will reveal the essence of the convoluted wording in the law and help understand whether the system-modifying bash script falls under the definition of an "operating system provider," whether a specialized board is considered a general-purpose device, and whether fines can be imposed for "each harmed child" in the absence of the ability to count the harmed children.
According to the project author, the laws being enacted regarding age verification are more of a protective barrier and a creation of a surveillance infrastructure than a concern for children's safety. Major manufacturers such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft already comply with the requirements of the proposed law, but these laws may lead to prohibitive costs for smaller OS manufacturers and projects developed by enthusiasts. In many cases, projects that have not implemented age verification find it easier to refrain from distribution in jurisdictions with such laws, as the costs for legal protection exceed the annual budget of most open projects.
It’s worth noting that in several U.S. states, bills are being promoted that mandate the inclusion of age indication features in operating systems during account registration, and providing applications with an API to determine the current user's age group (under 13, 13 to 16, 16 to 18, and 18 and older) to comply with online child protection laws. Non-compliance with these requirements is subject to fines of up to $2,500 for unintentional violations and up to $7,500 for intentional violations concerning each affected child.
The addition of an API for applications to request user age information is already being discussed among developers of distributions such as Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, Linux Mint, and NixOS. Specific solutions have not yet been determined, but the possibility of implementing the necessary API through xdg-desktop-portal or the AccountsService with requests sent via the new D-Bus interface 'org.freedesktop.AgeVerification1' is being considered. The head of System76, which develops the Pop!_OS distribution, spoke with a Colorado state senator, who is a co-author of the age verification bill, suggesting preparing amendments to the bill to exclude open-source software from its scope.
The MidnightBSD project has added a warning on its download page prohibiting the use of MidnightBSD for residents of California starting January 1, 2027, and Brazil starting March 17, 2026, due to the implementation of age verification laws. If the bills are approved, the ban will also extend to the states of Colorado, Illinois, and New York. It is claimed that MidnightBSD developers plan to comply with the laws of California, Colorado, and Illinois, but will not attempt to meet the requirements of the laws in Brazil and New York, as MidnightBSD is not a commercial company and lacks the funds for verification services.
Source: opennet.ru
