In January, Colorado lawmakers introduced a proposal to make operating systems collect users' ages and pass them to app developers. The bill, SB26-051, had clearly been designed for commercial platforms like iOS and Android - one of numerous plans to age-gate the internet through users' devices. It was intended to provide information that would let developers disable age-inappropriate experiences for kids. But as it made the rounds online, Linux laptop maker Carl Richell read the proposal with dismay.

Carl Richell is the founder and CEO of Denver-based System76, which also develops the Pop!_OS Linux distribution. The law, he realized, woul …

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