System76 on Age Verification Laws

Re:System76 on Age Verification Laws by DoctorMckay101 on Friday March 06, 2026 @01:33AM (#47271645)

I was gifted my first computer, running Windows 95, at 11 years of age. By age 13 I was probably within the five people who better understood how to do stuff on a computer in my town. By age 16 I was making Pokemon hackroms, flash animations for newgrounds and translating manga for pirate sites in photoshop. By then I knew my entire life would be tied to computers somehow.

Now some 50-60yo politician who has never even created a folder in their desktop without help wants to dictate how I should have used my device?

Fuck'em

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:System76 on Age Verification Laws by colinmarc on Friday March 06, 2026 @03:32AM (#47272462)

There are obviously certain harms we are comfortable (trying to) prevent 13yos from having access to. So it's a matter of degree.

The internet you describe has been gone for a long time. The internet that replaced it is several degrees more harmful, to adults and children alike.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:System76 on Age Verification Laws by wao0uuno on Friday March 06, 2026 @04:24AM (#47272811)

So maybe instead of trying to control the people we could try controlling the corporations responsible for this problem? Bring back the old internet. Make addictive services and algorithmic recommendations illegal. Make commercial entities more responsible for the services they offer.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:System76 on Age Verification Laws by colinmarc on Friday March 06, 2026 @04:27AM (#47272830)

I would absolutely be in favor of those measures.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:System76 on Age Verification Laws by gzread on Friday March 06, 2026 @07:44AM (#47274289)

No, they want your parents to have the optional option to dictate how you use your device.

[ Parent | on HN ]