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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

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You can't spell "based" without BSD.

Also, that's pretty much the main reason why FOSS OS are better than proprietary ones. They'll just say "okay, I guess we'll just stick to free countries" (while subtly gesturing at the nearest VPN).

Meanwhile, Windows and MacOS are going to fold like origami.

[-] pfr@piefed.social 1 points 32 minutes ago

Personally, I don't think this is the answer. Like, I get it, and it's a sure way to avoid having to deal with all this bs. But at the end of the day, the only people who suffer from this decision are the end users. It's punishing them for something their government has implemented. Doesn't seem right to me.

[-] tty84@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 minute ago

It is not up to the developer community to take responsibility for the stupid decisions made by their government.

People get the leaders they deserve.

[-] kepix@lemmy.world 1 points 45 minutes ago

how its done

[-] ZombieCyborgFromOuterSpace@piefed.ca 16 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Good. I'm glad they're standing up to this insanity.

It's ironic though because it's a California based OS.

By the way, anyone tried gaming on BSD?

[-] TheLastOfHisName@piefed.social 7 points 5 hours ago

Why do I get the feeling I will be distro hopping in the not-too-distant future?

[-] xxce2AAb@feddit.dk 62 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

That may be the best way to deal with the potential legal liabilities introduced by this unmitigated abject idiocy.

Good thing everybody can still torrent whatever they want from where ever they want. Or use IPFS. Or IRC DCC. Or Usenet. Or just a VPN.

[-] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 22 points 9 hours ago

This is a feature and not a bug. The biggest distro maintainers will try to comply and the smallest ones will start banning usage or even closing up shop.

[-] KiwiTB@lemmy.world 11 points 8 hours ago

Im just glad BSD is getting press.

[-] thisbenzingring@lemmy.today 14 points 9 hours ago

haha I guess that's one way to deal with it and do nothing at all. Doubtful they block the connections from those areas

[-] towerful@programming.dev 13 points 9 hours ago

IDK. It puts them at the forefront of this fight.

If governments successfully prosecute distro maintainers (if they can) for this, then distro maintainers are liable.
And distro maintainers would then have to pursue non-compliant users to cover that liability, or fold.
Which is a huge loss for open source.

Or, there would be a huge legal fight and it turns out that the licence of a distro protects it from its users actions.
Which would be awesome and a massive win. It also makes sense. Nobody is suing an OS maintainer because it was used for a data breach.
And then the governments have to pursue the actual users. Which... is gonna be useless wrt these laws

[-] nathan@piefed.alphapuggle.dev 2 points 8 hours ago

Ironic for "the bsd for everyone"

[-] inari@piefed.zip 8 points 7 hours ago

*Terms and conditions may apply

[-] Sxan@piefed.zip 2 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

I came here to say, "þey're going to have to change þeir motto to: The BSD for everyone, except Brazilians and Californians, and probably soon New Yorkers too. And probably the British, sooner rather than later."

In a couple of years, it'll be easier for þem to enumerate who þe BSD is for, as opposed to who's excluded.

this post was submitted on 10 Mar 2026
210 points (100.0% liked)

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