I’ve spent years championing Linux as the only escape from Big Tech, but I’m starting to get twitchy.
While we’re distracted by the Steam Deck making Linux “mainstream,” the corporate players and politicians are busy building a digital cage. Between California’s AB-1043 mandates and Microsoft’s “Face Check” infrastructure, I’m worried we’re heading for a hard schism: “Sanitised Linux” vs the “Free Rebel” distros.
If the compliant, age-gated version becomes the industry standard, where does that leave the rest of us? Digital exile?
I’ve put some thoughts together on why the “Golden Cage” is closing in and why education, not mandates, is the only real fix.
With the distros that don’t comply, as always.
Well, if your banking and government services, game platforms like Steam, streaming platforms like Spotify and Netflix all start requiring “age DRM” on the system level, what choice do we have?
Banking can be done in person at the bank. Games and media can be pirated.
Use another system.
Change banks. File complaints with them.
Entertainment isn’t relevant to me.