The team behind Arch-based Garuda Linux has issued a statement regarding the controversy surrounding age-verification laws and their impact on Linux distributions, confirming that it will not implement such measures unless legally required.

A Garuda developer stated in a forum post that the distribution is not obligated to comply with laws such as California’s Digital Age Assurance Act, as it operates outside that jurisdiction. The project’s infrastructure is located in Finland and Germany, and contributors adhere to their local laws. Therefore, Garuda does not consider itself subject to U.S. state-level legislation.

“Garuda Linux will not implement any age verification measures, since Garuda Linux’s legal jurisdictions have no laws mandating age verification.”

The statement adds that authorities in regions like California should restrict access locally, rather than expect global compliance from projects without a legal presence there.