Parents Decide Act: US bill would mandate operating system-level age verification

Parents Decide Act at Congress.gov: HR 8250

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Source: BiometricUpdate.com

US bill would mandate operating system-level age verification

Parents Decide Act shifts age checks from apps to OS providers, with FTC oversight and parental controls for minors

Apr 17, 2026, 5:44 am EDT | Anthony Kimery

A bipartisan House bill introduced this week, HR 8250, would require operating system providers to verify the age of every user who sets up an account or uses an operating system, shifting age-checking obligations away from individual apps and onto platform owners such as mobile and computer operating system companies.

The Parents Decide Act was introduced by Rep. Josh Gottheimer and Rep. Elise Stefanik.

“With each passing day, the Internet is becoming more and more treacherous for our kids,” Gottheimer said. “We’re not just talking about social media anymore — we’re talking about artificial intelligence and platforms that are shaping how our kids think, feel, and act, often without any real guardrails.”

“Right now, we expect children to self-police their safety online,” Gottheimer continued. “That’s not realistic – and it’s not responsible. Parents should decide what apps their kids can download, what content they can see, and how they interact online – not algorithms or tech companies.”

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Read more: https://www.biometricupdate.com/202604/us-bill-would-mandate-operating-system-level-age-verification