California law lifts age barriers for open-source software

California lawmakers passed a law exempting Linux and other open-source software from age verification requirements, expanding digital access for users without age checks.

California’s legislature passed Assembly Bill 1856 on August 26, 2026, with a 39-0 vote, exempting software under GPL, MIT, BSD, and Apache licenses from the state’s age verification law. This includes major Linux distributions like Ubuntu and Fedora, effective January 1, 2027. The exemption directly supports users who lack age verification systems, improving digital access for younger or unverified individuals. However, SteamOS remains unconfirmed as covered due to Valve’s proprietary client, GrapheneOS falls outside scope (using MIT/Apache licenses), and package managers like apt/pacman are excluded. The law’s redefinition of 'user' also addresses classification ambiguities. This change advances digital inclusion for open-source communities while respecting technical boundaries.

Source: Tom's Hardware