Bill > SB0284

This bill establishes the "Digital Age Assurance Act" to regulate mature content on websites, applications, and online services by requiring device manufacturers, operating system providers, and application stores (referred to as "covered manufacturers") to implement age verification and content protection measures. Specifically, covered manufacturers must determine or estimate a device user's age upon activation and provide a digital age signal that categorizes users into age groups: under 13, 13-15, 16-17, and 18 or older. For application stores, this includes obtaining parental consent for users under 16 and providing options for parental supervision. Websites and online services must then recognize these age signals and block access to mature content (defined as sexually explicit content) for users under 18, either by completely blocking access for sites with a substantial portion (more than 33.33%) of such content or by blocking specific mature content and providing disclaimers for sites with lesser amounts. The bill also requires platforms to offer parental management features like account linking, content filtering, and time management for minors. The Michigan Department of the Attorney General has exclusive enforcement authority, with a process that allows entities 45 days to cure violations before potential civil action, with potential damages of up to $10,000 per violation. Importantly, covered manufacturers are protected from liability if they take commercially reasonable steps to verify user ages.