California2026Enacted
AB-1043
Age Verification Signals for Apps and Online Services
Last scannedAug 24, 2026, 7:05 AM
In one sentence
Starting January 1, 2027, this law requires operating system providers to collect user age information at account setup so they can send a digital signal about the user's age bracket to app developers.
What it does
- Requires operating system providers to ask users for their birth date or age when setting up an account.
- Mandates that these systems send a real-time digital signal to apps showing which age bracket a user belongs to via an application programming interface.
- Replaces the need for individual app developers to collect this data by requiring them to request the signal from the device maker or store when the app is downloaded and launched.
- Prohibits operating system providers and covered application stores from using third-party data in ways that limit competition.
- Allows the Attorney General to enforce the law with civil penalties if companies do not follow these rules.
Who it affects
- Operating system providers, as defined by the bill.
- Covered application stores where apps are downloaded and sold.
- App developers who create software available in covered stores.
- Account holders setting up accounts on devices running these operating systems.
Limits and unknowns
- The law does not specify the exact list of age brackets or how they are prescribed.
- It is unclear exactly what civil penalty amounts will be charged until further details are set by regulation or court interpretation.
- The text defines who counts as an 'operating system provider' but does not name specific companies.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Operating system provider
- A company that makes the main software platform for a device, as defined by the bill.
- Age bracket signal
- A digital message sent to apps indicating which age group a user falls into based on their birth date or age.
- Application programming interface (API)
- A tool that allows different software programs, like an app and an operating system, to talk to each other in real time.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
Age verification signals: software applications and online services.
Official activity
Bill history
- Chaptered