Technology

California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup

Source

Tom's Hardware

Published

Mar 1, 2026

TL;DR

AI Generated

California's Digital Age Assurance Act (AB 1043) mandates all operating system providers in California to collect user age information during account setup and transmit it to app developers via a real-time API starting January 1, 2027. This law encompasses not only major OS providers like Windows and macOS but also Linux distributions and Valve's SteamOS. Developers receiving age signals are held accountable for ensuring age-appropriate content, with penalties for non-compliance. While the law does not mandate stringent verification methods like photo ID uploads, it requires users to self-report their age. Enforcement on Linux distributions could be challenging due to decentralized account structures and limited resources for compliance.

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Lexar regional manager says that RAM prices are expected to double by the end of the year — 'discounts' and stabilized prices result from distributors getting rid of old stock or sourcing products from other regions

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Huawei-led team claims it post-trained DeepSeek's 1.6-trillion-parameter model — 1,000 Ascend 910C chips used in training

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Tom's Hardware•

1 week ago

Lexar regional manager says that RAM prices are expected to double by the end of the year — 'discounts' and stabilized prices result from distributors getting rid of old stock or sourcing products from other regions

Tom's Hardware•

1 week ago

Taiwanese startup FormulaV Line wants to break into US market with two new unique cases — company expects products to become available on Newegg later this year

Tom's Hardware•

1 week ago

G.Skill explains how AMD EXPO ULL unlocks additional performance — expanded profiles allow memory makers to include subtiming tweaks for the first time

Tom's Hardware•

1 week ago

Huawei-led team claims it post-trained DeepSeek's 1.6-trillion-parameter model — 1,000 Ascend 910C chips used in training

Tom's Hardware•

1 week ago

California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup

TL;DR

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Lexar regional manager says that RAM prices are expected to double by the end of the year — 'discounts' and stabilized prices result from distributors getting rid of old stock or sourcing products from other regions

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California introduces age verification law for all operating systems, including Linux and SteamOS — user age verified during OS account setup

TL;DR

Similar Articles

Lexar regional manager says that RAM prices are expected to double by the end of the year — 'discounts' and stabilized prices result from distributors getting rid of old stock or sourcing products from other regions

Taiwanese startup FormulaV Line wants to break into US market with two new unique cases — company expects products to become available on Newegg later this year

G.Skill explains how AMD EXPO ULL unlocks additional performance — expanded profiles allow memory makers to include subtiming tweaks for the first time

Huawei-led team claims it post-trained DeepSeek's 1.6-trillion-parameter model — 1,000 Ascend 910C chips used in training