Operating System Hijack — Colorado’s Shocking Power Grab

Colorado legislators are pushing a dangerous new bill that would force Apple, Google, and other tech giants to collect age data on every user and embed government-mandated tracking systems directly into your smartphone’s operating system.

Story Snapshot

Senate Bill 26-051 mandates operating system providers collect user ages and share “age bracket signals” with app developers through government-required APIs
The bill relies on unverified self-attestation with no ID checks, making it trivially easy for minors to lie about their age while creating a privacy infrastructure ripe for abuse
Colorado’s latest attempt follows two failed 2025 child protection bills, with this version targeting the OS “chokepoint” controlled by Big Tech monopolies
Fines reach up to $7,500 per minor for intentional violations, yet the bill ignores web browsers and provides no mechanism to verify truthfulness of age claims

Government Mandates Tech Giants Become Age Police

Senate Bill 26-051, introduced by Senator Matt Ball and Representative Amy Paschal in early 2026, requires operating system providers including Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Canonical to collect date of birth or age information during account setup for all Colorado users. The legislation forces these companies to generate anonymized “age bracket signals” categorizing users as under 13, 13-16, 16-18, or 18-plus, then share this data via mandatory APIs with app developers upon download or launch. The Senate Committee on Business, Labor, and Technology held hearings on February 24, 2026, with implementation targeted for January 1, 2028 if passed.

Unverified Self-Attestation Creates Illusion of Safety

The bill’s fundamental flaw lies in its reliance on user self-attestation without any verification mechanism. Unlike traditional ID checks, SB 26-051 simply asks users to provide their age during account setup, creating what critics call an “illusion of safety” since minors can easily lie with zero consequences. The legislation provides no enforcement mechanism to catch false attestations and applies only to apps downloaded through official stores, completely ignoring web browsers where most content access occurs. This approach burdens law-abiding adults and companies while offering virtually no real protection for children who can circumvent the system with a single false entry.

Operating system providers face compliance costs to redesign account systems and build new API infrastructure, while app developers must integrate these signals or risk fines ranging from $2,500 to $7,500 per minor for intentional violations. The bill targets the mobile ecosystem’s “chokepoint” where Apple and Google control over 99 percent of smartphones, forcing standardization across the app ecosystem. However, federal courts have repeatedly questioned whether such mandates are narrowly tailored compared to existing parental control tools that families can voluntarily enable without government-forced data collection on every citizen.

Pattern of Failed Colorado Overreach Continues

This legislation represents Colorado’s third attempt at online child protection mandates in two years after previous failures exposed constitutional vulnerabilities. Senate Bill 25-201 in 2025 required websites with content “harmful to minors” to verify ages but stalled over First Amendment concerns and enforcement challenges against out-of-state sites. Senate Bill 25-086 mandated social media platforms categorize users by age, but Governor Jared Polis vetoed it in April 2025, citing feasibility issues, constitutional risks, and inappropriate state-level overreach into areas better suited for federal regulation or parental choice.

The shift from website and platform mandates to operating system requirements reveals lawmakers’ strategy to exploit Big Tech’s monopolistic control rather than respect individual liberty and parental authority. By forcing age data collection at the OS level, the state entrenches the very corporate power conservatives rightly criticize while creating a surveillance infrastructure that collects sensitive information on all users regardless of age. The bill’s “anonymized” age brackets still require collecting and storing birthdates initially, creating privacy breach risks and establishing precedent for state governments to mandate data collection through private infrastructure.

Constitutional Concerns and Referendum Risk

Legal experts note federal courts increasingly favor less restrictive alternatives like voluntary parental controls over mandatory systems that burden adult access and speech rights. The bill’s approach fails the narrow tailoring test since Apple and Google already offer robust family management tools allowing parents to control content without government mandates affecting every citizen. If the legislation passes, Colorado voters could force a referendum within 90 days of the General Assembly’s adjournment, potentially putting the measure on the November 2026 ballot where citizens can reject this government overreach directly.

Privacy advocates and civil liberties groups oppose the burden this places on adults who must surrender age data to access devices they own, simply because a few legislators prefer government control over parental responsibility. The bill exemplifies the nanny-state mentality that conservatives have fought against for decades—using children as justification to expand government power while delivering minimal real protection. Real child safety comes from engaged parents using existing tools and teaching digital literacy, not from mandating that corporations collect data on every American and share it through government-designed systems that minors can defeat with one lie.