> the Children's Social Media Safety Act
  > 
  > provide an accessible interface at account setup that requires an account holder to indicate the birth date, age, or both

Thank goodness kids can't lie about their age!

  > provide an operator who has requested a signal with respect to a particular user a signal that identifies the user's age by category

Wait - if this is just to pass a signal to an operator ("social media site"), why can't the "operator" just ask for the age themselves?

Answer: they don't want to be liable and get fined $400 Million, like Meta got fined, for letting kids on social media. (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/05/business/meta-children-da...)

This is why Meta is forcing this legislation through nation-wide. They are forcing Google/Apple to take the liability, despite it not actually being Google or Apple that's providing the "harmful" social media. Meta are doing this state-by-state so nobody can track that it's them. Easier than pushing at a federal level, and raises fewer red flags from news media.

Since Google and Apple won't want to accept this liability either, the next step is requiring digital IDs and third-party verification to prove the user is of age. This will enable tracking of all users, whatever app or website they go to. Bills requiring this are already being passed at state and federal level.