Dear Supporters,
In just the last year, governments worldwide have dramatically accelerated invasive personal data collection under the banner of “protecting children.” The pace in 2026 is picking up fast, and the pattern is clear: biometric tying of identity to everyday digital access, teen social media bans, and operating system-level age verification are becoming normalized.
Mexico is now requiring all ~130 million mobile phone lines to be linked to a verified individual by June 30, 2026. Unregistered lines will go dark starting July 1. Registration demands government ID plus biometrics through the CURP Biométrica system — including fingerprints, facial recognition, and iris scans. What was once optional is now effectively mandatory for basic communication access in a country of 130 million people. Privacy advocates warn this creates a centralized biometric database ripe for surveillance and breaches.
This is not isolated.
Australia enforced its under-16 social media ban in December 2025, requiring platforms to implement age verification or face penalties. Similar proposals or laws are advancing in the UK (Online Safety Act expansions), France (under-15 discussions), Indonesia, Malaysia, and elsewhere.
In the U.S., California’s Digital Age Assurance Act (effective January 2027) mandates operating systems prompt for age during device setup, with encrypted brackets shared to apps. Colorado and other states are following similar paths, while federal proposals push further.
These measures — retina/iris scans for phones, ID verification for websites and app downloads, OS-level age signals on computers and devices — all rolled out or gained momentum in late 2025 and are accelerating now.
The stated goal is always the same: shield minors from harm.
Yet the practical effect is a massive expansion of personal information grabs that burden adults, creators, and everyday users with surveillance infrastructure.
Challenges are happening, but they are struggling against powerful headwinds:
- Lawsuits by groups like the EFF, ACLU, and tech associations have blocked or delayed some state laws on First Amendment grounds (anonymity, overbreadth, free speech).
- Privacy experts and coalitions have called for moratoriums, citing data security risks, mission creep, and disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups.
- Yet many measures survive or advance because “protect the children” is politically potent, corporate pre-compliance reduces friction, and incremental framing makes courts deferential.
The result?
Normalization of biometric and ID requirements for basic digital life, while real root issues — parental supervision, media literacy, and targeted enforcement against actual predators — receive far less attention.
This is exactly why we need the Digital Liberty Act: to draw firm lines against unwarranted biometric and OS-level data mandates, protect anonymity and privacy tools, prevent surveillance creep into personal devices, and ensure child safety efforts focus on genuine harms rather than turning every phone, computer, and app into a monitored gateway.
The window is closing.
Mexico’s biometric SIM deadline, Australia’s ban, California’s law, and the global wave show how quickly these systems scale once introduced.
Sign the petition if you haven’t already.
Read the full Digital Liberty Act proposal.
Share this update widely, comment with your thoughts or experiences, and contact your lawmakers today to oppose these expansive data grabs.
We cannot let “safety” become the excuse for permanent loss of privacy and freedom.
In the fight for digital civil rights,
Jaiden Cross
Petition Starter
This update is grounded in confirmed 2026 developments: Mexico’s biometric CURP + SIM registration deadline (July 2026), Australia’s under-16 enforcement, California’s AB 1043, and the broader international trend. It acknowledges ongoing legal challenges while highlighting why they often fall short. Let me know if you’d like any adjustments in tone, length, or emphasis.