Re: Tom Steyer's draconian national ID legislation

[http://dummy.us.eu.org/robert (Robert)]

Below's what I got from Brave search
(https://search.brave.com/search?q=summarize+ca+bill+ab+1709&source=web&summary=1&conversation=090354888835ce2c0dd3532b2bcc5eb06d94
).

The primary problem is the storage of government identification and facial
scans by companies to prove to entities that your age has been validated
and verified, and that's what constitutes the privacy issues.  These data
could (and likely will) be used for any purpose whatsoever, whether by
warrants or even warrantless searches and sweeps.  No liquor store or
cigarette-selling shop would keep and retain a digital representation of
your government ID or a photo of your face beyond the time required for
the purchase of the item and that's the primary difference.

Not sure if this is convincing to you or not.

Ca Assembly Bill 1709 is a contested piece of legislation
currently in the 2025â2026 legislative session that seeks to
establish a minimum age requirement of 16 for creating accounts on social
media and other "covered platforms." Sponsored by Assembly Member
Lowenthal, the bill aims to protect youth mental health by banning
addictive feeds for minors and requires platforms to implement age
verification measures, potentially involving government-issued ID or
biometric data.

To enforce these regulations, the bill proposes creating a new e-Safety
Advisory Commission responsible for oversight, research, and enforcement
of digital platform safety.

The legislation has passed the Assembly Privacy and Judiciary Committees
but faces significant opposition from privacy advocates and civil
liberties groups, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), who
argue the bill violates the First Amendment, undermines parental rights,
and poses serious data privacy risks.

Key provisions of the current AB 1709 include:

Age Restriction: Prohibiting individuals under 16 from creating accounts
 on covered platforms.

Age Verification: Mandating that users verify their age, potentially
 through sensitive personal data submission.

Regulatory Body: Establishing the e-Safety Advisory Commission to monitor
 compliance and address emerging digital risks.

Legal Context: The bill operates alongside existing laws like the
 Protecting Our Kids from Social Media Addiction Act and the Digital Age
 Assurance Act.