Linux devs are fighting the new age-gated internet

-
A date of birth box in front of lines of code

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 Dever-based System76, which also develops the Pop!_OS Linux distribution. The law, he realized, would …

Read the full story at The Verge.



source https://www.theverge.com/tech/930573/age-verification-bills-linux-open-source

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

GE made a 27-inch smart display for above your stove that streams Netflix and Spotify

-
Image
GE wants to put a smart display at head level while you’re cooking. The Kitchen Hub is a 27-inch touchscreen that runs Android and also functionally replaces your exhaust vent at its mounting above your stove. The company first teased the device at last year’s CES but ultimately never shipped it . It has updated this year’s version with a sleeker interface and tons of features like video calls and streaming movies. The Kitchen Hub supports Google Assistant, meaning you can ask Google to create grocery lists, look up recipes, or control other smart home devices like thermostats, lights, and cameras. The Hub can also run apps like Netflix and Spotify, so you can stream The Great British Baking Show or listen to music while you cook. There’s... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/7/18170285/ge-google-netflix-spotify-exhaust-vent-smart-display-kitchen-hub-ces-2019
Read more

Mophie’s battery pack case for the new iPhones lets you use wired headphones

-
Image
Mophie’s newest iPhone battery case, the Juice Pack Access, represents a first for the company: an exposed Lightning port. Mophie’s cases typically plug into each iPhone’s Lightning port, and that’s how it charges the phone. This new case leaves that port exposed, so users can plug their Lightning headphones in and listen to music, even while using the case. The case will support the iPhone X, XS, XS Max, and XR. Instead of the Micro USB port that’s included with the Juice Pack Air for the iPhone X, the Access case can charge wirelessly on any Qi-enabled charging pad. It’ll charge the iPhone first and then focus on itself. It also has a USB-C port, so it can be wired and charge, too. Mophie says the iPhone XS and X case provides up to... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/7/18168914/mophie-juice-pack-access-iphone-x-xs-max-xr-headphones
Read more

Vizio returns to CES with its most advanced 4K TV ever and support for Apple’s AirPlay 2

-
Image
Vizio hasn’t had a significant presence at CES since 2014. That year, the company actually went to the effort of issuing a press release to say it was done with the big trade show and would instead introduce TVs, soundbars, and other products at its own media briefings on its own schedule. Fast forward to today, and Vizio is making a return to Las Vegas with an all-new 2019 lineup. Not much about CES has changed; a lot of tech company executives will tell you that its importance continues to shrink with each passing year. But things have certainly changed for Vizio. It took a gamble and ditched built-in apps and the traditional smart TV experience in favor of “dumb” displays — without a TV tuner, even — that required customers to cast... Continue reading… source https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/7/18171670/vizio-p-series-quantum-x-airplay-2-atmos-speakers-ces-2019
Read more