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Illinois law requires operating systems to implement age verification by 2028

HB5511 mandates OS providers build age-declaration systems, but unlike Colorado and California, includes no exemption for open source software like Linux.

3 items159 engagement121 comments Hacker NewsMastodon
Illinois law requires operating systems to implement age verification by 2028
itsfoss.com

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Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 3 items across 2 sources · 13h ago. Quotes are verbatim.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed HB5511, the Children's Online Social Media Safety Act, which requires operating system providers, device makers, and app stores to implement age verification by January 1, 2028. The law converts birth dates into four age brackets and allows apps to request that signal via API. Unlike similar bills in Colorado and California, Illinois included no exemption for open source software, raising concerns from the Linux community about enforcement and compliance.

  • HB5511 requires all OS providers, device makers, and app stores in Illinois to implement age-declaration systems by January 1, 2028, converting birth dates into four age brackets accessible via encrypted API.
  • Unlike Colorado and California bills with similar requirements, Illinois law contains no exemption for open source software, directly impacting Linux distributions and other nonprofit OS projects.
  • The law passed with unanimous or near-unanimous support (57-0 Senate, 82-27 or 113-0 House depending on stage), but tech community response emphasizes enforcement challenges and questions about practical child safety benefits.
  • Penalties reach $50,000 per violation according to the governor's press release, though the bill text caps them at $7,500 per affected child, creating ambiguity about enforcement scope.

How it unfolded

  1. Reaction Hacker News discussion erupts; Linux developer responds

    The story reaches #1 on Hacker News with 209 points and 260 comments. Linux distro founder lrvick posts that they will never implement the requirement, citing international maintainer quorum and offline-first design.

    “I will never be compelled to implement this, and would never merge it.”

    lrvick
  2. Reaction Commenters debate practical impact and legality

    Discussion notes the distinction between self-declaration (which the law requires) versus verification, questions who is liable for enforcement, and raises concerns about the lack of open source exemption compared to other states.

    “Self-declaration means that the system asks the user to declare if they are a minor. Nothing is verified.”

    Aurornis
  3. Analysis Critics question regulatory scope and motivation

    Commenters express skepticism about whether the law genuinely protects children, question the lack of open source exemptions, and compare the Illinois approach unfavorably to content-rating models.

    “We used to make fun people like Ted Stevens for calling the internet "a series of tubes" and now we're just totally cool with letting a failed, bankrupt state in the US dictate what code needs to go into voluntary open source software.”

    kyledrake
  4. Report Tech outlets cover OS-level requirements

    Articles from linuxstans.com and itsfoss.com clarify that by January 1, 2028, covered manufacturers must ask for birth date at setup, convert it to one of four age brackets, and provide an encrypted API signal to apps.

  5. Report It's FOSS publishes detailed analysis of law

    The article highlights that Illinois has no exemption for open source software, unlike Colorado (which added exemptions after System76 founder Carl Richell lobbied) and California (which amended AB-1043 via AB-1856).

  6. Event Governor Pritzker signs HB5511 into law

    Pritzker signed the bill flanked by quotes from Attorney General Kwame Raoul and advocacy groups like Common Sense Media, with the press release emphasizing social media platform rules while downplaying OS-level requirements.

  7. 9 weeks quiet
  8. Event HB5511 passes Illinois legislature unanimously

    The bill passed 57-0 in the Senate and 113-0 in the House concurrence, with bipartisan support from legislators including Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, Sen. Willie Preston, and others.

What people are saying verbatim

“I will never be compelled to implement this, and would never merge it.”

lrvick, Linux distro founder · Hacker News comment

“Self-declaration means that the system asks the user to declare if they are a minor. Nothing is verified.”

Aurornis, HN commenter · Hacker News comment

“Requiring my kids' devices to advertise their age (or their age "bucket", as if that was a meaningful difference) to protect them is not doing me or my kids any favors.”

kej, HN commenter · Hacker News comment

“We used to make fun people like Ted Stevens for calling the internet "a series of tubes" and now we're just totally cool with letting a failed, bankrupt state in the US dictate what code needs to go into voluntary open source software.”

kyledrake, HN commenter · Hacker News comment

“Illinois has none of this. HB5511's definitions for "covered manufacturer" and "application store" stay just as broad as these bills were before their amendments.”

It's FOSS, Tech publication · It's FOSS article ↗

“By January 1, 2028, these manufacturers have to build an interface at account setup asking a parent or account holder for the child's birth date.”

It's FOSS, Tech publication · It's FOSS article ↗