Colorado Passes SB26-051 With Open-Source Exemption, Sparing Linux From 2027 Age-Gating
Updated
Updated · The Verge · May 14
Colorado Passes SB26-051 With Open-Source Exemption, Sparing Linux From 2027 Age-Gating
1 articles · Updated · The Verge · May 14
May 1 brought a key rewrite to Colorado’s SB26-051: lawmakers passed the bill with an exemption for open-source operating systems, after System76 CEO Carl Richell spent weeks lobbying against its original scope.
The January proposal would have required operating systems to collect users’ ages and share that data with app developers, a model aimed at iOS and Android but one that Richell argued would burden Linux projects and undermine open-source principles.
The final text carves out software that users can copy, modify and redistribute without platform-imposed restrictions, creating what Richell called a template other legislatures could adopt.
That matters beyond Colorado because California’s AB 1043 takes effect on Jan. 1, 2027, and similar bills are advancing in Illinois and New York, leaving Linux developers split between seeking privacy-preserving compliance, testing legal limits or openly defying the rules.
Privacy and open-source advocates say the carveout fixes only part of the problem, arguing OS-level age verification is invasive, easy to bypass and likely to push more users toward Linux alternatives.
As states mandate age-gates, can 'ageless' software make these controversial privacy laws practically unenforceable?
Are new child safety laws a genuine effort to protect kids or a corporate play to crush open-source rivals?
Protecting Open Source: The Story Behind Colorado’s SB26-051 Age Verification Exemption and Its Broader Impact
Overview
Colorado's Senate Bill 26-051 is part of a global trend where governments are introducing age assurance laws to protect youth online. Unlike earlier efforts, these regulations now reach beyond websites to include operating systems and app stores, creating new challenges for software developers, especially in the open-source community. A major issue is that verifying a user's age is difficult, since devices can be shared by people of different ages. The bill has advanced in the legislature and now includes a strong exemption for open-source software, aiming to avoid unintended consequences for open-source projects while still promoting youth safety.