California Eyes Age Signal for Online Safety

California's AB 1709, with a deadline of September 30, 2026, for Governor Newsom to sign, aims to regulate online platforms' addictive features for users under 16. If enacted, the law mandates disabling personalized algorithmic feeds, video autoplay, and certain push notifications by default for minors. Platforms could face penalties of up to $50,000 per affected minor for violations.

The bill's enforcement mechanism hinges on OS-level age signals, established by AB 1043 and set to take effect January 1, 2027. This system, implemented by major OS providers like Apple and Google, will pass a minor-or-adult signal to applications. This infrastructure, while intended for child protection, also builds a framework for broader age identification, impacting all users.

Concerns have been raised by civil liberties groups regarding the expansion of this age identification infrastructure. The data collected could be logged, cross-referenced, and shared with advertisers or data brokers. This aligns with a broader trend of state and federal lawmakers introducing new layers of internet regulation, shifting identity verification from websites to personal devices.