The law's broad definition of an "operating system provider" pulls in not just Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, but Linux distributions and Valve's SteamOS.
Assembly Bill 1043 becomes a law in California in January 2027, and will require every operating system to have age verification in account setup.
California has taken a major step into the evolving debate over how to protect minors online, approving a far-reaching law that will change how digital platforms handle age data.
A new California state law requires all operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, to have an age verification system during setup.