California has introduced its own age verification bill – is this the safest way to verify your age?

Age verification bills in the US show no signs of slowing down as California becomes the next state to introduce new laws.

Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday, October 13, the bill requires those setting up a new device to enter their date of birth.

The new laws won't take effect until January 1, 2027, and fines will be handed out for companies who violate the rules.

Crucially, the bill – at this stage – doesn't require users to upload sensitive personal information, including IDs. This is a significant difference to other age verification bills we have seen in the US and UK.

Interest in the best VPNs spiked considerably as people looked for ways to avoid submitting IDs and bypass age verification checks.

Multiple US states saw an increase in searches for VPNs and major VPNs saw