California's Digital Age Assurance Act, passed last year, will soon PC Mobile operating system providers ask users for their age when setting up an account and then send that data to app developers. Although the California law doesn't go into effect until 2027, it will affect all Windows, Mac, and Linux PC users across the Golden State.
California's Digital Age Guarantee Act (AB 1043) was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in October 2025 after unanimously passing both houses of the California State Legislature. AB 1043 requires operating system providers to include real-time application programming interfaces (APIs) that categorize users into one of four age groups. This bracket is for those under 13, 13-16, 16-18, and 18+. The data is then sent to users in California when they download or launch the app to any developers who request that information, and this data is used for content distribution purposes. AB 1043 takes effect statewide on January 1, 2027.
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New California law affects everything related to operating systems
Age verification occurs in the following games: roblox California's upcoming Digital Age Guarantee Act, which would have forced users to upload facial scans to prove their age, does not require such a controversial measure. AB 1043 would require users in California to enter their date of birth when creating accounts with companies such as Microsoft, Apple, or Google, depending on the operating system they are trying to access. This law covers everything that uses an operating system, from PCs to mobile devices and gaming consoles. However, this does not apply to broadband ISPs or telecommunications services and does not allow developers to share users' age information with third parties for purposes other than verification.
As it stands, AB 1043 will likely require operating systems to add age verification APIs via firmware updates. However, Governor Newsom has stated that despite the passage of AB 1043, amendments will be needed for multi-user accounts and streaming services. Newsom cited concerns from game developers and streaming services about user profiles and accounts being used across multiple devices. As of this writing, no amendments to AB 1043 have been proposed, so the law remains in effect as is.
In addition to the problems that multiple user accounts may pose for AB 1043, the rise of Linux as an alternative to Windows creates another problem. Developers who receive this information and fail to comply with AB 1043 face fines ranging from $2,500 up to $7,500. Additionally, many Linux operating system distributions, such as Ubuntu, do not have a centralized accounting infrastructure compared to Windows and macOS. Therefore, Linux OS distributions are likely to be found incompatible by default in California. Disclaimers stating that the operating system is not intended for use in California under AB 1043 may be utilized, but it is not yet known what action developers of various Linux distributions will take in response to the law.
Age verification is not going away
AB 1043 does not require California users to submit any information other than their date of birth, but age verification methods from other services will likely continue to be used. Discord was scheduled to launch global age verification on March 1, but controversially delayed the launch due to user backlash. Discord still plans to activate its age verification system in the second half of 2026, but the popular voice and text app said it is exploring additional ways to verify a user's age, including credit card information, that don't require a Face ID scan.
Given the broad scope of AB 1043, the law will also impact SteamOS, which is used in Steam Deck and the upcoming Steam Machine. Although Governor Newsom has proposed several amendments, time will tell what changes will be made before AB 1043 goes into effect.
Source: Tom's Hardware
