Lawmakers Push for Age Verification in Operating Systems for Apps

Key Takeaways

1. Colorado lawmakers support age verification checks at the operating system level for device users.
2. Proposed bill SB26-051 would require operating systems to register users’ ages and share this information with apps via an API.
3. The bill does not mandate government ID checks, creating a loophole for potential misuse by temporary users of devices.
4. Developers can choose to disregard reported ages if they suspect misrepresentation, but guidelines for this process are unclear.
5. Age information will only be shared with apps, not websites, limiting the scope of the verification system.

A few lawmakers from Colorado have shown their support for age verification checks at the operating system level, which has sparked a lively discussion online. The topic of age verification has gained more attention recently, especially after Discord announced its new settings that automatically set teenagers to restricted modes, limiting access to certain features until an age verification is completed.

Proposed Bill Details

According to PCMag, the proposed bill SB26-051, if passed, would make it mandatory for operating systems like macOS, Windows, and Android to register the ages of the device owners. This age information would then be shared with applications through an API. Senators Matt Ball and Amy Paschal have assured that no personal information beyond age would be disclosed to these apps, which is quite clear.

Loopholes and Concerns

However, what’s interesting is that the bill doesn’t require any official government ID checks to confirm the owner’s age, which creates a significant loophole. As many have pointed out, the age of the device owner doesn’t necessarily reflect the age of anyone who might temporarily use the device. This raises questions about the effectiveness of such a system.

The legislation also mentions that if a developer believes a user’s age differs from what was reported, they have the option to ignore the stated age. Still, it remains unclear how developers will determine if a user is misrepresenting their age or what guidelines they will follow for making such a judgment. Moreover, the bill specifies that age information will be shared exclusively with apps, leaving websites out of the loop.

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