Digital Age Assurance Act
United States- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- Became Law
Would put age checks in every operating system sold in America. You set your age bracket at setup, and apps must use it.
Latest update
Introduced
This bill is still moving
This bill is still moving, so there's still time to push back.
Contact LawmakersWhat it does
S.5090 (Andy Kim, with Lummis, Schiff and Barrasso) would require the operating system on every device sold in America to check ages. You could not use the device without an account, and the account would need a date of birth. You would pick an age bracket at setup (under 13, 13 to 15, 16, or 17 and up). Apps, app stores and browsers would have to use that signal as the main sign of your age. Under-17s would link to a parent's account. Fines run up to $7,500 per intentional violation per child. It would start 18 months after it became law, and it copies a California law.
Why it matters
This pushes age verification down to the device itself, so it touches everything you do on it, not just one website. Tying the whole operating system to a declared age and an account is a step toward an ID check for using a computer or phone.
Our take
This is the age-check fight moved to the deepest level, the operating system. Once your device knows your age and every app must obey it, opting out is not really an option. It is digital ID by another name, built into the machine.
Timeline
Introduced
LatestReferred to committee
Sponsor
Andy Kim (D-NJ)
Cosponsors (3)
Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Adam Schiff (D-CA), John Barrasso (R-WY)
Committee
Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee