Hackaday

California's Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043), signed into law and taking effect January 1, 2027, requires OS providers to implement an age-verification API. The law mandates that users declare their age bracket at account setup, which apps and app stores must then use to gate access. Critics point out major flaws: the self-reported age system is no more reliable than old-school age-dropdown widgets, enforcement is vague, edge cases like shared family accounts are unaddressed, and FOSS developers face disproportionate legal risk. The governor himself expressed hope the bill would be amended. Requiring photo ID would give it real teeth but would conflict with the bill's own privacy-preserving provisions.

California’s Problematic Attempt To Add Age-Verification To Software

Sounds like we’re almost hitting The Great Filter theory.
“The Great Filter theory, proposed by Robin Hanson, suggests that a monumental, nearly insurmountable barrier exists in the development of life, preventing most civilizations from becoming technologically advanced and observable. This barrier acts as a solution to the <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Fermi+Paradox&amp;rlz=1C1ONGR_en-GBGB1190GB1190&amp;oq=The+Great+Filter+Theory&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQABiABDIHCAIQABiABDIHCAMQABiABDIHCAQQABiABDIHCAUQABiABDIHCAYQABiABDIHCAcQABiABDIHCAgQABiABDIHCAkQABiABNIBCDUwMzRqMGoxqAIIsAIB8QUFQ70IuzOT2Q&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjy4-vzt5KTAxUmQkEAHbqPK6gQgK4QegYIAQgAEAQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Fermi Paradox</a> by explaining why we see no sign of alien life, suggesting that the filter is either in our past (making us incredibly lucky) or in our future (implying our potential destruction).”
Humanity will be it’s own destruction.

You’d think people might have learned by now that regulators touching technical matters always results in undue burden on normal people for completely ineffective results. See the nightmare that is: cookie consent banners.

“but hooooow can i steal your face to protect the childe hmmmmm how i wonder”