MidnightBSD, a FreeBSD-based desktop operating system, has quietly updated its README to reflect a new geographic restriction. The project has added a clause that bars residents of any country, state, or territory with OS-level age verification mandates from using MidnightBSD



The law will most likely be enforced where it matters: smartphones from companies that “manufacture” them in Brazil (which is like 90% of market share of smartphones in Brazil).
So both Android and iOS will most likely start requiring some official ID to be provided or facial recognition to setup the device and/or to access both Play Store or App Store, which yeah, seems a bit concerning.
Also, if you read the law: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2023-2026/2025/lei/L15211.htm, or in this PDF in English: https://www.gov.br/mdh/pt-br/assuntos/noticias/2025/novembro/brasil-apresenta-avancos-em-seguranca-digital-da-infancia-e-lanca-eca-digital-em-ingles-durante-cupula-social-do-g20-na-africa-do-sul/eca-digital-ing-v2.pdf?ref=itsfoss.com, you can see the only thing an operating system (that does not come with under 18 age improper content, like pornographic content, in it’s installation media) really needs to implement is a self-declaration of being “age appropriate” to use the system, otherwise deny the installation of the OS.
The part where the operating system must implement age verification is here:
Which has been officially translated in the PDF to :
The II there, that states:
Is totally optional, there’s no way any judge in Brazil could enforce that as mandatory to be implemented in all OSes and punish any OS that denies installation for under 18 age citizens of Brazil and does not provide such parental supervision mechanisms.
Now, for any digital media or computer application that either contains or provides direct access to age restricted content from the internet I suppose article 9 applies:
So, yeah, if you are providing an operating system that itself comes with any age restricted content as Brazilian law stipulates (such as pornographic content), I think self-reporting of age would be damned insufficient due to § 1º there:
If there’s anything I’m missing here please point out.
It’s government trying to control people all over again.
Bolsonaro (Flávio) will probably make an argument saying that under him people will be free from control or something like that, but it’s just bullshit. What we would get under him is brazilian ICE (Internal Customs Enforcement - isn’t that funny).