Plain English Breakdown
The official text mentions that age brackets are 'as prescribed,' but does not list what those prescriptions are within this summary.
Age Verification Signals for Apps and Online Services
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 This Bill 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 Names or 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.
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.
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.