California now mandates age gating across operating systems and app stores, and users will begin noticing the change during device setup. Apple set an early example in Texas, and the same framework is now expected to extend to California—with privacy intact and no photo ID required.
Apple’s Texas rollout provides a preview of what’s coming. In developer documentation, the company described a Declared Age Range API, designed to let apps identify user age categories without accessing personal data.
According to Wired, California’s new bill, AB 1043, organizes users into four age bands—under 13, 13–16, 16–18, and adult—passing only the relevant group information to developers. No document uploads or ID scans are needed during setup.
How Apple Will Likely Implement the Changes
In Texas, Apple routes minors into Family Sharing groups, allowing parents or guardians to grant consent for new accounts. A similar setup is expected in California. Parents will confirm a child’s age during device onboarding, after which Apple’s system applies appropriate restrictions across App Store experiences. Developers will receive only the necessary age band data to adjust app behavior accordingly.
What This Means for Users and Developers
California’s rules remain lighter than those in some other regions. Users can still download apps without direct parental approval, while operating systems quietly enforce compliance through backend age checks. Developers, meanwhile, will need to adapt app features, ad targeting, and data handling practices to align with each declared age band.
This design gives developers a reliable signal while protecting user privacy—birthdates and documents stay off-limits. Apple’s approach reduces compliance risks for app teams and centers parental oversight where it matters most.
Timeline and Related Legislation
Texas’s age gating requirements take effect on January 1, 2026, with California set to follow one year later. Expect Apple to refresh onboarding flows and update APIs in the months leading up to those deadlines to maintain consistency between major states.
Governor Gavin Newsom also signed several complementary measures, including AB 56 (social media warnings), SB 243 (health chatbot transparency), and AB 621 (deepfake pornography restrictions). Together, these bills signal a coordinated push toward stronger digital safeguards across platforms.
