The California legislature has amended A.B. 1856 to remove provisions that would have expanded age-gating requirements to web browsers and websites, following concerns regarding user privacy and digital security.

Key Points

• Assemblymember Buffy Wicks authored A.B. 1856, which now excludes browsers and websites from its expanded age-gating framework.
• The bill includes an exemption for open-source operating systems, leading the Electronic Frontier Foundation to withdraw its formal opposition.
• Existing law A.B. 1043, signed in 2025 and effective January 2027, mandates that operating systems and app stores categorize users by age.
• Companies face fines of up to $7,500 per affected child for failing to comply with the age-gating requirements established by A.B. 1043.
• Critics argue that these mandates incentivize invasive data collection, such as biometric scanning and mandatory ID checks, to verify user ages.

Why it Matters

These legislative changes prevent the immediate expansion of age-gating mandates that could have further compromised online anonymity and data security. While the core requirements of A.B. 1043 remain, the decision to limit the scope of A.B. 1856 reflects a growing debate over the balance between protecting minors and maintaining a private, accessible internet.