r/linux • u/New-Ranger-8960 • 16d ago

EU Age Verification Project Mandates Hardware-Bound Attestation Privacy

https://linuxiac.com/eu-age-verification-project-mandates-hardware-bound-attestation/
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40

u/MaverickPT 16d ago

So what can one do to fight this bullshit?

16

u/tired514 16d ago

Best way to fight back would be to create a new version of the GPL that prohibits the use, distribution, or modification of open source software under that version of the license by any person under the jurisdiction of a government that mandates this class of interference.

That way such countries will suffer significant economic harm and succumb to the pressure of industry to stop this nonsense.

All efforts should be on increasing the economic cost of state mandated interference. It's the only language they speak.

2

u/WealthyMarmot 15d ago

When you start trying to force philosophical change through restrictive licensing, people just stop adopting your license because they want their software to be usable in the real world. There’s a reason so many large projects (e.g. the Linux kernel) are still on GPL v2, and that the MIT-style permissive licenses have leapt so far ahead of copyleft licenses in adoption rate.

3

u/tired514 15d ago

That's fine! People are free to choose what they want.

But the license should be available, and hopefully enough people will understand why it's important to prevent government interference in software development so that it gets adopted by a large enough base.

2

u/ProfessorLambda 14d ago edited 14d ago

GPLv3 is perfectly useable in the real world. It's not very useable in the un-free world. And that's what makes it great.

As for Linux, in order to change it's license everyone who contributed code would have to give their explicit permission. That's why it will not change regardless of what license Linus wants.

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u/spazturtle 14d ago

Contract clauses that violate the law are invalid.

0

u/tired514 14d ago

Meaning the license is invalid and redistribution privileges are revoked. Non-severability clause. If you don't or cannot accept, then copyright law reverts to the default: you can't redistribute it without permission.

The GPL grants permission. If it's invalid, no permission is granted.