CALIFORNIA has implemented the Digital Age Assurance Act (DAAA), requiring operating systems like Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android to collect users' ages during setup starting January 1, 2027. This measure, aimed at protecting children from accessing harmful content, will categorize users into age brackets to inform app developers. While digital rights advocates criticize this as a privacy violation, exceptions for open-source software are being proposed.
Similar age assurance laws are being enacted in other states like Colorado and Illinois. Users of mainstream systems should prepare for age inquiries, while open-source options may provide alternatives.