06/16/2026
Your Computer May Soon Require an Age Check. And You Might Have to Prove It
Age verification laws are moving beyond p**n sites and social media. Soon, your operating system could be required to check your age and share it with apps and websites.
Age verification laws are no longer limited to p**n sites. After more than two dozen US states passed laws targeting adult websites like PornHub—and Utah moved against VPN use—the next battleground is your operating system.
Starting in 2027, California's Digital Age Assurance Act will require operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, ChromeOS, and Linux distributions, to ask users for their age during device setup and share an age range with apps. Depending on how future laws evolve, that process could eventually involve government IDs, credit cards, or biometric verification.
https://www.pcmag.com/explainers/your-computer-may-require-an-age-check-might-have-to-prove-it