Nine States Push for App Store Age Verification Laws

Proposed legislation would require Apple and Google to verify user ages and obtain parental consent for minors downloading apps.

Legislation introduced in nine states, including Utah and South Carolina, aims to make app stores responsible for verifying user ages and obtaining parental consent for minors using apps.
The proposed laws shift the responsibility from app developers to app store operators like Apple and Google, sparking debates over privacy and free speech concerns.
Tech companies are divided on the issue: Meta and other social media platforms advocate for app store accountability, while Apple and Google argue that developers are better positioned to handle age verification.
The Digital Childhood Alliance, a coalition of over 60 child-safety advocates, is backing the legislation with a model bill called the App Store Accountability Act.
Previous efforts to pass similar laws have faced significant lobbying and legal challenges, with Apple successfully opposing a comparable bill in Louisiana last year.