from the it's-another-surveillance-bill dept Lawmakers in Congress are moving quickly on the  GUARD Act ,  an age-gating bill  restricting minors’ access to a wide range of online tools, with a key vote expected this week. The proposal is framed as a response to alarming cases involving “AI companions” and vulnerable young users. But the text of the bill goes much further, and could require age gates even for search engines that use AI.  If enacted, the GUARD Act won’t just target a narrow category of risky chatbots. It would require companies to verify the age of  every  user — then block anyone under 18 from interacting with a huge range of online systems. It would block minors from everyday online tools, undermine parental guidance, and force adults to sacrifice their privacy.…