lol the funny thing with this age verification thing is that those governments can't even protect us from hackers
heck they cant even prevent their own computers from getting hacked

Originally posted by ChickenBalls:

lol the funny thing with this age verification thing is that those governments can't even protect us from hackers
heck they cant even prevent their own computers from getting hacked

+ kids, as young as 11 already now how to civcumvent it using a VPN to access lots of things they shouldnt be.

As a UK user, the UK Online Safety Act does not affect Windows itself, only what you can view/purchase/download from their stores such as the Windows Store/Xbox App.

I'm verified on Steam and Xbox. Steam simply wanted a Credit card. Xbox wanted some more information - although I forget what it asked for exactly now.

You could be verified on Steam and not Microsoft/Xbox. It wouldn't prevent a user from using their Steam game on Windows.

Is that what you were talking about?

Originally posted by Obsessive Power:

As a UK user, the UK Online Safety Act does not affect Windows itself, only what you can view/purchase/download from their stores such as the Windows Store/Xbox App.

I'm verified on Steam and Xbox.

Xbox actually does require age check to have access to all social features from 2026.

https://support.xbox.com/en-GB/help/family-online-safety/online-safety/UK-age-verification

Originally posted by C1REX:

Xbox actually does require age check to have access to all social features from 2026.

https://support.xbox.com/en-GB/help/family-online-safety/online-safety/UK-age-verification

Yes, that's true. I forgot that

California is introducing a requirement for age verification by Operating Systems and App Stores:

"Required age verifications by operating system and app store providers to help prevent children from accessing inappropriate or dangerous content online."

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/10/13/governor-newsom-signs-bills-to-further-strengthen-californias-leadership-in-protecting-children-online/

------------------------------------------

How likely a similar law will be introduced in UK?
Can Linux avoid that?

That's an interesting one. It looks like the UK safety act already covers this. If not fully now, it could in the future.

The Act gives the Secretary of State a power to make regulations in the future to specifically regulate app stores (like the Windows Store Apple App Store and Google Play Store).

This power can be activated if a report by the UK regulator, Ofcom, suggests there is a material risk of significant harm to children from harmful content found either on the app stores themselves or encountered via regulated apps downloaded from them.

I'm not well versed on Linux, I've only used Steam OS. The App store on Steam OS version of Linux would come under the act as well.

Originally posted by Obsessive Power:

That's an interesting one. It looks like the UK safety act already covers this. If not fully now, it could in the future.

The Act gives the Secretary of State a power to make regulations in the future to specifically regulate app stores (like the Windows Store Apple App Store and Google Play Store).

This power can be activated if a report by the UK regulator, Ofcom, suggests there is a material risk of significant harm to children from harmful content found either on the app stores themselves or encountered via regulated apps downloaded from them.

I'm not well versed on Linux, I've only used Steam OS. The App store on Steam OS version of Linux would come under the act as well.

California law is a bit different as it doesn’t block anything and only asks for data it seems.
On the other hand they want AI to diagnose if somebody is suicidal.



Here is an article explaining how the California law has been written so it can avoid any legal pushback when the OS itself doesn’t host any harmful content.

https://derekebaird.medium.com/california-enacts-device-level-age-verification-law-for-apps-designed-to-survive-constitutional-3226f18159cf


And here is part about AI from gov website:
“New safeguards on AI chatbots by establishing requirements that “companion chatbot” platforms create protocols to identify and address users’ suicidal ideation or expressions of self-harm.”

Next ve vill hef all tvs with ze mandatory front camera zo all of ze volk ken show zer face for skenning to verify zat zey are old enough to warch ze tv progrem.

Itz vor ze children, anyone against zis is antipatriotikk.

As bonus, ve vill now be able zu monitor ze facial expression in response to ze progrem on ze tv at ze time of watching.

Anyone smiling at ze recist content ken now be identified und a gut profil ken be created to later reeducate ze thought kriminals

Hopefully, the rest of Europe will see how dumb these restrictive age laws in the UK are & will avoid doing the same mistake.

Originally posted by 𝔇𝔬𝔬𝔪𝔤𝔲𝔶:

Hopefully, the rest of Europe will see how dumb these restrictive age laws in the UK are & will avoid doing the same mistake.

Yeah right. Entire damn world is itching to do this. Our future will be nothing but 24/7 monitoring of every citizen by AI, already half-way there.

just use paid vpn.

Some of you are looking at this in the wrong context. As British Citizen, I am kind of 'on the fence' with it, but as a user here in 'Blighty' it's not quite as draconian or even dystopian as you're thinking.

Since the Act came into to force, I have only had to verify myself on two websites, Steam and Xbox, nothing else so far.

Originally posted by Obsessive Power:

Since the Act came into to force, I have only had to verify myself on two websites, Steam and Xbox, nothing else so far.

Does imgur.com work for you?

The only steam games that have been affected are p**n games. Even games like RDR2, TLOU2 and GTAV don't require any age verification to play. I doubt much on Microsoft will be affected, aside from p**n websites and games (which is a good thing tbh). I'd be more worried about whats happening in America.

Originally posted by C1REX:

Originally posted by Obsessive Power:

Since the Act came into to force, I have only had to verify myself on two websites, Steam and Xbox, nothing else so far.

Does imgur.com work for you?

Nah but it works perfectly on a VPN. I think we can all agree that VPN is the lord and saviour of the internet in this modern world.