Thetechloop

• Our Written Breakdown: techlore.tech/eu-and-us-age-verification-explained-what-the-new-laws-and-apps-actually-mean-for-your-privacy-free • Contact your reps: house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative • EDRi: edri.org • EFF: eff.org • FSFE: fsfe.org/index.en.html • It's FOSS US Coverage: itsfoss.com/news/os-level-age-verification-across-us • US HR8250: congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8250/all-info • EU's Approach : sovereignmagazine.com/article/eu-age-verification-app-open-source • EU GitHub: github.com/eu-digital-identity-wallet/av-app-android-wallet-ui • Privacy Dad: theprivacydad.com/a-first-look-at-the-eu-age-verification-app • EU App Issues: docs.yivi.app/blog/eu-age-verification-security-analysis

If passed, the bill would apply across the U.S., unlike the state-level laws already around.

The U.S. has been quietly building up a set of state-level laws that push operating system providers into the age verification plague.

California's AB 1043, signed in October 2025, requires OS providers to collect age data at account setup and pipe it to apps through a real-time API. It kicks in on January 1, 2027.

Colorado is working on something nearly identical. SB26-051 (which we covered when it was still a proposal) passed the state Senate 28-7 on March 3, 2026, and is now waiting on a House vote to become law there too.

However, these are just state-level laws. A new federal bill, H.R.8250, introduced on April 13, 2026, by Rep. Josh Gottheimer, with Rep. Elise M. Stefanik signing on as cosponsor, has us intrigued.

The official title of the bill reads, "To require operating system providers to verify the age of any user of an operating system, and for other purposes." But that's a mouthful; the short version is "Parents Decide Act."

If you go by the full title, the bill is pretty self-explanatory; it is going to require every operating system provider to verify the age of its user who wants to use their OS, and vaguely enough, for any "other purposes."

It has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and currently sits at step one (Introduced) of five in the legislative process. No bill text has been published; there's no summary, no subject tags, and no related bills attached to it.

That means right now, the only thing formally known about H.R.8250 is its title, its sponsors, and where it got sent.

Gottheimer's office published a press release on April 2, 2026, announcing the bill 11 days before it was formally introduced. That press release was unavailable for a while, but it is now back up.

According to the announcement, the bill would require OS developers to verify user age at device setup, allow parents to set content controls right there, and have those settings flow through to apps and platforms on the device.

Apple and Google were the companies Gottheimer named as the intended targets, with the framing centered entirely around phones and tablets.

But here's where it gets interesting for anyone outside the Apple and Google ecosystem. Gottheimer's press release framed this entirely around commercial mobile platforms. The official bill title, as you saw earlier, does not.

If the bill text matches the breadth of that title, Linux distributions and other open source operating platforms would sit squarely within its scope. And a federal bill passing would mean one nationwide compliance requirement replacing the current state-by-state situation.

The representative also voiced support for several groups, which include the likes of:

Meta Parents Network
Common Sense Media
FairPlay

Evidently, things are getting more absurd with each passing day, and I can't wait for the day when access to anything electronic is locked behind a gate, guarded by the most decent and righteous upholders of the law. /s

Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, a Kuwaiti-American journalist known for his work at VICE, HuffPost and Al Jazeera, has been detained in Kuwait, according to press freedom advocates, after sharing videos related to the Iran war.

The arrest comes as Kuwait and other Gulf states have cracked down on individuals for posting imagery of Iranian missile strikes and other subject matter deemed sensitive. Watchdog groups have decried the strict laws.

In Shihab-Eldin’s case, he had been sharing information on his Substack and social media when the war began, but suddenly stopped posting on March 2.

He was in Kuwait, visiting family, at the time. Friends believe he has been in custody for nearly six weeks. On Tuesday, they went public about his case with the hope that publicity would help secure his release.

“We call on Kuwait to release Ahmed Shihab-Eldin and drop all charges against him,” Sara Qudah, regional director for the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement. “Journalism is not a crime, and Shihab-Eldin’s case reflects a broader pattern of using national security laws to stifle scrutiny and control the narrative.”

The advocacy group also said “it is understood that authorities have charged him with spreading false information, harming national security, and misusing his mobile phone – vague and overly broad accusations that are routinely used to silence independent journalists.”

CNN has reached out to the Kuwaiti government for comment.

Shihab-Eldin’s friends have pointed out that the images and videos he shared on Substack were already in the public domain. For instance, he reshared a CNN video of a US Air Force fighter jet crash over Kuwait.

But Kuwaiti officials warned citizens against photographing or publishing “any clips or information related to missiles or relevant locations.”

“Such actions are being closely monitored and dealt with firmly, with violators referred to the relevant authorities for legal action,” the Kuwait Times reported earlier this month.

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights said in a recent report that the war has been used by Gulf states “to stifle free speech, confiscate citizens’ public freedoms, and target journalists, bloggers, and online activists who express opinions that do not align with government policies.”

“These individuals are subjected to arbitrary imprisonment and detention, and unfair trials on fabricated charges using counterterrorism and cybercrime laws,” the group said.

In the United Arab Emirates, there have been numerous reports about people being arrested for sharing photos of missile strikes.

News of Shihab-Eldin’s detention broke through on Tuesday in part because he has been a high-profile media personality for more than a decade.

In 2011 he co-created and co-hosted “The Stream,” a pioneering show on Al Jazeera English, and then he went on to help launch HuffPost’s live streaming network. He has been a guest on CNN and numerous other networks.

President Trump on Friday unveiled official architectural renderings for the triumphal arch he plans to add to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The proposed monument would stand at one end of the Arlington Memorial Bridge next to the Arlington National Cemetery. In addition to the president's post on Truth Social, the plans were released by the Commission on Fine Arts, a federal agency that has review authority over the design and aesthetics of construction within Washington, D.C., and produced by Harrison Design, an architecture, interior and landscape design firm with offices in six U.S. cities, including D.C. The mockup shows a structure very similar to the 3D model that Trump touted at a fundraising dinner at the White House last October.

At 250 feet tall, the overall height of the structure is intended to serve as, "a fitting recognition of America's 250th birthday," the White House said in an email to NPR.

A monument aimed at honoring what and whom?

The proposed arch bears a striking resemblance to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris — though would stand almost 100 feet taller — and is topped with two golden eagles and a winged, crowned figure reminiscent of the

Statue of Liberty (which was gifted to the U.S. by France in 1884.) On one side, the words "One nation under God" appear, with the phrase "Liberty and justice for all" on the other. The structure would also loom over the nearby Lincoln Memorial — at more than twice the height. "The Triumphal Arch in Memorial Circle is going to be one of the most iconic landmarks not only in Washington, D.C., but throughout the world," said White House spokesperson Davis Ingle in an email to NPR. "It will enhance the visitor experience at Arlington National Cemetery for veterans, the families of the fallen, and all Americans alike, serving as a visual reminder of the noble sacrifices borne by so many American heroes throughout our 250 year history so we can enjoy our freedoms today. President Trump will continue to honor our veterans and give the greatest Nation on earth — America — the glory it deserves." When asked by CBS political correspondent Ed O'Keefe whom the monument was intended to honor after Trump initially unveiled his plans in October, Trump responded: "Me." The exchange was captured in a social media video. A group of Vietnam War veterans launched a lawsuit in February seeking to bar the Trump administration from constructing the arch. The plaintiffs argued the project violates statutes requiring express congressional authorization for the erection of commemorative works or any "building or structure" on federal park grounds in D.C., among other issues.

"It's textbook Trump," said Sue Mobley, director of research at Monument Lab, of the proposed plans for the arch, in an interview with NPR. The nonprofit design studio based in Philadelphia reimagines public art and structures. "It has to be the biggest. That's the authoritarian impulse." Trump has repeatedly pushed back on accusations of authoritarianism, rejecting the label of dictator. Mobley added that she doesn't think the plans will come to fruition. "It will likely get tied up in court," she said.

Approval process

The White House said it will "follow all legal requirements" in constructing the triumphal arch. As part of that process, it mentioned the National Park Service's recent request to present potential designs to the Commission on Fine Arts. The plans are scheduled to be reviewed next week. At this point, that commission is composed entirely of members appointed by Trump. (In October 2025, Trump took the unusual step of firing six sitting members of the commission.) The National Capital Planning Commission, the federal government's central planning agency for the National Capital Region, is alsoexpected to weigh in on the plans. The White House said the estimated cost of the project, which it anticipates will draw on a combination of public and private funds, is still being calculated. Harrison Design, the architecture firm behind the plans, did not immediately respond to NPR's request for information about the price tag.

Multiple D.C. makeover projects

The arch plans are the latest in a series of current and potential architectural interventions from the White House in and around Washington, D.C. Most dramatically, the administration is pushing for the creation of a $400 million neoclassical ballroom at the White House. A federal appeals court on Saturday temporarily allowed the construction of the ballroom to move forward while the administration challenges a March ruling that it required congressional approval. Whatever the outcome, the historic East Wing has already been demolished to make room for the new structure. Trump has converted the White House Rose Garden into a stone- covered patio. He aims to shut down The Kennedy Center for two years to facilitate a major renovation (a coalition of groups including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the American Institute of Architects, and the D.C. Preservation League, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in March opposing the plans.) And he has proposed architectural changes to the Washington Dulles International airport through an initiative the Department of Transportation launched late last year to overhaul the Northern Virginia airport. Several prominent architecture firms including Zaha Hadid Architects and Adjaye Associates have submitted proposals. In August, the president also signed an executive order requiring that new federal buildings with construction budgets of more than $50 million be designed in "classical" or "traditional" styles.

Is there a place on these platforms were you can post old news..? . like it is important to understand the here and now, like a carrot on a stick but is there a place to reflect and look at old shit

Not really a fan of tyt but not really a fan of anything anymore... gawd I h ate zionist

You can do batches too via json. Very nice