California's Landmark Age-Appropriate Design Code Act: What You Need To Know

On Aug. 29, California's Senate unanimously passed Assembly Bill 2273, known as the Age-Appropriate Design Code Act (the CA AADC or the Bill). The Bill, which is anticipated to be signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, is aimed at promoting online safety and privacy for children under 18. The Bill was inspired by the UK's Age-Appropriate Design Code (the UK AADC or the Children's Code) and includes many similar requirements. If it is signed into law, covered businesses would need to come into compliance with the Bill's core provisions by July 1, 2024. This blog explains who is covered, key provisions and how the CA AADC compares to its UK counterpart.

Who is covered

The CA AADC will apply to any business that meets the revenue or data-collection thresholds created by the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and "provides an online service, product[] or feature likely to be accessed by children." The Bill includes a detailed definition of the phrase "likely to