Debian Project Leader Andreas Tille has addressed the ongoing debate over age-verification laws and their potential impact on free software operating systems. Long story short: he clarified that Debian has not adopted a position and is awaiting legal analysis.
In his latest “Bits from the DPL” message, Tille stated that the main question is whether operating systems and package distribution mechanisms might be required to provide age-related information to applications.
He noted that Debian and other projects are discussing the issue, and that Software in the Public Interest, a non-profit corporation founded to act as a fiscal sponsor for organizations that develop open-source software and hardware, has begun seeking legal guidance.
The legislation is clear and unambiguous : an operating system must provide an age verification which is able to accessible by third parties on the internet.
There’s no mention of selling in the law.
And how is an operating system defined in that law?
Should this be handled at the BIOS level, the kernel level, the init level, the packaging level, the GUI level, the user login level, the user desktop level, or somewhere else entirely, like a derivative distribution with its own layers, some of which will be different from the base distro?
I’m asking because each of those levels are pretty much handled by different groups of individuals, groups and organisations in different jurisdictions, cultures and countries.
While we’re talking about options on where to put this “feature”, who is liable for it not being implemented?
You might have an opinion on where it “should” be, but I can guarantee you that there are at least as many opinions on where it should be as people you ask.
That’s why the Debian Project is doing what it is.