U.S. Bill Proposing Device-level Age Checks Sparks Privacy Concerns

A newly proposed US bill aimed at protecting children online would require age verification at the operating system level, raising privacy concerns.

The bipartisan measure is titled the “Parents Decide Act."

The measure, titled the “Parents Decide Act” (HR 8250), was introduced by Representative Josh Gottheimer with Republican co-sponsor Elise Stefanik, according to AlterNet.

The bill would require operating system providers to verify users’ ages before allowing access to devices, not just apps or social media platforms.

Critics argue that the requirement could force users to provide sensitive personal or biometric data, though the bill leaves implementation details to regulators such as the Federal Trade Commission.

Open-source platforms could face fines for noncompliance, raising concerns about feasibility and enforcement.