The State of California’s Digital Age Assurance Act, which was passed last year, will soon require every PC and mobile operating system provider to ask users for their age at account setup and then send the data to app developers. Although the California law does not take effect until 2027, this would affect Windows, Mac, and Linux PC users alike throughout the Golden State.
California’s Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043) was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in October 2025 after it unanimously passed both chambers of the California State Legislature. AB 1043 would mandate that operating system providers include a real-time application programming interface (API) that categorizes users into one of four age brackets. These brackets are for users under 13, ages 13 to 16, ages 16 to under 18, and anyone 18 or older. The data would then be sent to any developers that request that information from a user based in California when an app is downloaded or launched, which would then be used for content distribution purposes. AB 1043 goes into effect statewide starting January 1, 2027.
World of Warcraft: Midnight Players Think Blizzard is Teasing New Content for Its Next Update
Some determined World of Warcraft players discover a potential piece of new content that Blizzard may introduce in a future Midnight update.
New California Law Will Affect Anything With an Operating System
Although age verification measures in games like Roblox have forced users to upload a facial scan to prove their age, California’s upcoming Digital Age Assurance Act will not require such controversial measures. AB 1043 will just require California-based users to enter their date of birth upon creating an account with companies like Microsoft, Apple, or Google, depending on the operating system they plan to access. The law encompasses anything that uses an operating system, from PCs to mobile devices and game consoles. However, it does not apply to any broadband ISPs or telecommunications services, and does not allow developers to share a user’s age information with a third party for any purpose other than for verification.
As it stands, AB 1043 would likely require operating systems to add an age verification API via a firmware update. However, Gov. Newsom stated that, despite passing AB 1043, an amendment for multi-user accounts and streaming services would likely be necessary. Newsom cited concerns from game developers and streaming services about user profiles and accounts used across multiple devices. As of this writing, no amendments to AB 1043 have been proposed, so the law will go into effect in its current state.
Along with the snags that multi-user accounts may pose to AB 1043, the rise of Linux as an alternative to Windows presents another problem. Developers who receive this information and do not comply with AB 1043 will face penalties between $2,500 and up to $7,500. Additionally, several Linux operating system distributions, such as Ubuntu, do not have a centralized account infrastructure in place, compared to Windows and macOS. Ergo, Linux OS distros are likely to be found non-compliant by default in California. Although a disclaimer that states that the operating system is not intended for use in California under AB 1043 could be utilized, it remains to be seen what the developers of various Linux distros will do in response to the law.
Age Verification Isn’t Going Away
While AB 1043 will not require California users to submit anything more than their date of birth, age verification measures from other services will likely continue to be used. Although Discord was set to launch its global age verification on March 1, Discord delayed its controversial rollout following user backlash. Though Discord is still set on activating its age verification systems in the second half of 2026, the popular voice and text app stated it was looking for additional ways to verify a user’s age, including credit card information, that would not require a facial ID scan.
Given the broad scope of AB 1043, the law would also impact SteamOS, which is utilized by the Steam Deck and the upcoming Steam Machine. Though Gov. Newsom has proposed some amendments, time will tell what changes will be made to AB 1043 before it goes into effect.
Source: Tom’s Hardware
