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Colorado Eyes OS-Level Age Checks for Minors
24 Feb
Summary
- Colorado bill proposes OS-level age verification.
- Legislation shifts verification burden to tech companies.
- Fines range from $2,500 to $7,500 per minor affected.
Colorado lawmakers have introduced SB26-051, a bill mirroring California's Digital Age Assurance Act, to implement age verification for minors accessing harmful online content. This legislation aims to place the responsibility on operating system providers, such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft, to verify user ages rather than individual applications.
The proposed system would establish a digital age signal upon device setup, restricting access to age-inappropriate apps. Violations could incur fines of $2,500 to $7,500 for each minor affected. This OS-level enforcement aligns with calls from tech industry leaders, including Meta's CEO, who have advocated for device manufacturers to manage age verification.
While the Colorado bill currently targets apps, not websites, and privacy safeguards are included, concerns about potential loopholes and broader implications for online anonymity persist. Critics draw parallels to past legal challenges, such as Louisiana's age verification law, which was struck down over First Amendment concerns. The effectiveness of such measures against determined users using VPNs or accessing less regulated sites remains a point of debate.
