Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signed HB-5511 into law, requiring operating system providers to implement an age assurance system by January 1, 2028.
The law defines “operating system provider” broadly, including commercial and nonprofit entities that develop or supply internet-connected operating systems.
Credit: @LundukeJournal
From page 7 of the bill:
So it does appear Linux and other open source OSes would be included.
Is it really internet enabled though if it doesn’t ship with the WiFi drivers?
If I was lawyering this I’d say the device being internet enabled is what matters. But it’s also mega bullshit because I know of toys that have “internet capabilities” that connect to nothing but the manufacturers hosts and only for update purposes.
But what count as internet enabled? Has wifi card? Has rj45 port? Has pcie slot for wifi/ethernet card?
Not quite. In order to qualify for that category, the device has to require an Internet account registration to function, ie Apple ID, Microsoft account, or Google account. So Macs, Win11+ and ChromeOS qualify, but not Linux.
EDIT:
I am curious about standard Android vs De-Googled versions like GrapheneOS.