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Computer Scientists Caution Against Internet Age-Verification Mandates

An open letter warns of censorship, centralized power, and loss of privacy.

J.D. Tuccille | 3.4.2026 7:00 AM

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(Illustration: Midjourney/Fuad Nafiz Shoukhin/Sean Pavone/Franz1212/Dreamstime)

Effective January 1, 2027, providers of computer operating systems in California will be required to implement age verification. That's just part of a wave of state and national laws attempting to limit children's access to potentially risky content without considering the perils such laws themselves pose. Now, not a moment too soon, over 400 computer scientists have signed an open letter warning that the rush to protect children from online dangers threatens to introduce new risks including censorship, centralized power, and loss of privacy. They caution that age-verification requirements "might cause more harm than good."

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It's Always for the Children

When he signed A.B. 1043 in October 2025, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the legislation "will assist parents in ensuring that their children are downloading and using age-appropriate applications." State Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D–Oakland), who co-sponsored the bill, similarly promised that "AB 1043 offers a scalable, privacy-first approach that helps keep kids safe while holding tech companies accountable."

But vowing to help kids isn't the same thing as writing coherent legislation. The California law requires, in part, that any "operating system provider"........

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