Bill > AB1043

This bill introduces the Digital Age Assurance Act, which requires operating system providers to implement an age verification mechanism for digital devices beginning January 1, 2027. The bill mandates that when setting up a device account, users or account holders must provide the birth date or age of the device's primary user, which will generate an age bracket signal (such as under 13, 13-16, 16-18, or 18 and over) that can be shared with application developers. Developers must request this age signal when an application is downloaded and launched, and they are required to use this signal to comply with age-related regulations, treating it as the primary indicator of a user's age unless they have clear internal evidence to the contrary. The bill prohibits operating system providers and application stores from using collected data in an anticompetitive manner and limits the sharing of age-related information to only what is necessary for compliance. Violations of the act can result in civil penalties of up to $2,500 per affected child for negligent violations and up to $7,500 per affected child for intentional violations, with enforcement handled by the California Attorney General. The bill aims to enhance online safety for minors by providing a standardized method of age verification across digital platforms while protecting user privacy and preventing discriminatory practices.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1043