All moderns websites just serve JS applications now, so wouldn’t this simply apply to the entire web?
NGram@piefed.ca 4 days ago
I've got no clue about legal documents, especially how they work in Texas, but this seems weirdly broad and with a pretty glaring loophole.
The weirdly broad part:
(2) "App store" means a publicly available Internet
website, software application, or other electronic service that
distributes software applications from the owner or developer of a
software application to the user of a mobile device.
This sounds like any website suddenly becomes an app store as soon as it starts distributing software for a mobile device. So (ignoring my following point), if I suddenly post my new APK on my personal site suddenly it's an app store!? Also aren't websites software applications? That'll be a fun one to fight out with browsers...
(4) "Mobile device" means a portable, wireless
electronic device, including a tablet or smartphone, capable of
transmitting, receiving, processing, and storing information
wirelessly that runs an operating system designed to manage
hardware resources and perform common services for software
applications on handheld electronic devices.
This sounds like it includes laptops but not desktop computers.
The glaring loophole:
(a) When an individual in this state creates an account with an app
store, the owner of the app store shall use a commercially
reasonable method of verification to verify the individual's age
category under Subsection (b).
So if your app store does not require an account, you do not need to verify anyone's age!? I'm all for it but that doesn't seem to be in the spirit of the law. F-droid and my (example) personal-site-turned-app-store rejoice!
SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 4 days ago
NGram@piefed.ca 4 days ago
That was my interpretation too, except not restricted to “modern” websites. It sounds more like any website, modern or not, JS or not.
The part that is funny in that situation is that probably means web browsers are considered “app stores”. From a technical standpoint that’s actually pretty accurate (though they also handle running the “app”, unlike a regular app store), but has the fun consequence of making web browsers also “app store stores”. Most browsers can be used without an account though, so I look forward to the dumb antics companies with large legal departments come up with for this one.
SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 4 days ago
There was a time when we browsers just rendered hypertext, which is markup, not a program.
trolololol@lemmy.world 4 days ago
Many people disagree, though I’m not one of them.
DFX4509B_2@lemmy.org 4 days ago
(4) “Mobile device” means a portable, wireless electronic device, including a tablet or smartphone, capable of transmitting, receiving, processing, and storing information wirelessly that runs an operating system designed to manage hardware resources and perform common services for software applications on handheld electronic devices.
Given the existence of handheld PCs, which just so happen to run the same OS as desktops and laptops, if handheld PCs are classed under the same category as Android and iOS devices, this has me worried that desktops and laptops will be ensnared in this as collateral damage too.
HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 4 days ago
Windows has an app store. I doubt that was who they had in mind
DFX4509B_2@lemmy.org 3 days ago
It’s optional for now except in S-mode, assuming MS isn’t legally forced to enable S-mode by default and block ‘sideloading’ of downloaded exes in Texas.
HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 3 days ago
downloaded exes in Texas.
that was much cleverer than the joke i thought i was teeing up.
lividweasel@lemmy.world 4 days ago
This sounds like any website suddenly becomes an app store as soon as it starts distributing software for a mobile device. So (ignoring my following point), if I suddenly post my new APK on my personal site suddenly it’s an app store!?
I think so. The intention is probably to have the law cover any method of getting your hands on an app, not just what we typically know as “app stores”. Otherwise, it would leave a loophole.
This sounds like it includes laptops but not desktop computers.
I thought that at first too, but I think the part at the end about “handheld electronic devices” is what limits it to not include laptops.
NGram@piefed.ca 4 days ago
They do use handheld and never define it, but I can hold my laptop with my hand so I’m not sure that’s necessarily a good way of disqualifying laptops. That also seems to strictly apply to the operating system ("runs an operating system designed […] for software applications on handheld electronic devices"), which might be a fun legal quagmire as well since Linux is designed for all sorts of platforms. If I install Linux on my (formerly) Windows laptop does it suddenly become a mobile device?
It does bring up another interesting niche of computers: handheld PCs, especially handheld gaming PCs. Does this law apply to Steam Decks?
This whole thing screams “written by tech illiterates” since it seems to ignore regular computers and only focus on phones when it’s all just variations of the same thing – form factor and the software running on top isn’t very relevant to whatever goal I presume they’re trying to achieve. If they really want to collect everyone’s ID, age, and other privacy-violating information they’d be better off doing it everywhere. But maybe I shouldn’t give out advice for speed running fascism…
brbposting@sh.itjust.works 4 days ago
I demand this guy’s ID (& SSN just in case to protect the children against terrorism)
mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 days ago
The broad definition for “app stores” was likely intended specifically to block loopholes where people just spin up their own sites and say “it’s just my website, not an app store.”
HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 4 days ago
That would make sense, so it’s not right. If you can’t figure out what the government will do and one of the options makes sense, that’s not what they will do
Endymion_Mallorn@kbin.melroy.org 4 days ago
Until Google kills them soon.
other_cat@piefed.zip 4 days ago
Feels like these things are lining up “coincidentally” huh?