Policy Briefing — California Age-Appropriate Design Code Enacted
California adopted AB 2273, creating the Age-Appropriate Design Code Act with heightened privacy and safety duties for online services likely to be accessed by children.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed the California Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (AB 2273) on 15 Sep 2022, adapting principles from the UK Children’s Code into California law. The statute requires covered businesses to configure privacy defaults for minors, conduct Data Protection Impact Assessments, document risk mitigations for product features, and enforce limits on dark patterns, precise geolocation, and profiling of children.
- 15 Sep 2022 — Act signed. The law applies to for-profit entities offering online services likely to be accessed by children under 18, with enforcement by the California Attorney General.
- 1 Jul 2024 — Effective date. Businesses must complete DPIAs, publish mitigation reports, and implement age estimation strategies before the law takes effect.
- 2023-2024 — Rulemaking watch. Policymakers and the California Privacy Protection Agency explored guidance and potential regulations to operationalise the act.
Zeph Tech compares the act’s requirements with the ICO Children’s Code to harmonise youth privacy programmes for global platforms.