New York Senate Bill S08102, introduced by Andrew Gounardes, proposes requiring internet-connected devices to verify users’ ages before they can fully access their devices and apps.
The bill would require device manufacturers, operating system providers, and app stores to conduct “age assurance” at device activation and share a user’s age category with apps through a digital signal.
Users would be grouped into four age categories under 13, 13–15, 16–17 and 18 or older and app developers must treat the signal as authoritative when determining whether a user is a minor.
Rulemaking and enforcement would be handled by the New York State Office of the Attorney General under Letitia James, with potential verification methods possibly including biometrics or government ID, similar to proposals under the SAFE for Kids Act.
Critics warn the proposal could create privacy risks by enabling persistent age tracking and requiring sensitive data.
A proposed New York law that would require internet-connected devices to verify a user’s age before allowing normal access is drawing sharp debate from privacy advocates and technology policy experts.
Read Full Article: https://www.naturalnews.com/2026-03-11-ny-bill-proposes-age-checks-internet-enabled-devices.html
