Colorado Lawmakers Push for Age Verification at the Operating System Level

Source: Slashdot

Proposed Colorado Bill SB26-051

Colorado lawmakers are proposing SB26-051, a bill that would require operating systems to register a user’s age bracket and share it with apps via an API. The legislation comes from state Sen. Matt Ball and Rep. Amy Paschal, both Democrats.

“The intent is to create thoughtful safeguards for kids online through a privacy‑forward framework for age assurance,” Ball told PCMag. “Unlike some laws in other states, SB 51 doesn’t require users to share personally identifiable information or use facial recognition technology.”

The bill aims to centralize the age check through the operating system rather than mandating that each app enforce its own age‑verification mechanism, which can involve scanning the user’s official ID and raise privacy and security concerns. It also forbids the sharing of the age‑bracket data for any other purpose.

Key Points

• Centralized verification – The OS, not individual apps, handles age verification.
• Privacy‑focused – No personally identifiable information or facial recognition is required.
• Limited scope – The legislation does not mention a state ID check to verify the owner’s age and appears to apply only to apps and app stores, not to websites.
• Data use restriction – Age‑bracket data may not be used for any purpose other than the verification itself.

The bill is modeled after California’s AB 1043, which was passed last year and is expected to take effect on January 1, 2027.

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