Late Night Linux – Episode 378

The podcast explores the growing trend of age verification on the internet and within operating systems, questioning the implications for user privacy and developer responsibility. The discussion highlights the controversial pull request in systemd to add age declaration mechanisms, even without verification. Concerns are raised about the "slippery slope" towards mandatory ID uploads and the potential for global legal compliance becoming unmanageable for developers. The panel also analyzes Google's new Android developer verification process, which requires a 24-hour waiting period before installing unverified apps, sparking debate about user freedom versus security. The hosts lament the decline of the internet's early freedoms, attributing it to factors like smartphone adoption and corporate lobbying, particularly by companies like Meta.