Overview
- Starting January 1, 2026, app stores in Texas must verify the age of anyone creating an account, downloading apps, or making in‑app purchases under Senate Bill 2420.
- Accounts for users under 18 must be linked to a parent or guardian who approves each download and can monitor the child’s activity.
- Apple will introduce family-sharing approval flows and an age‑range API, and Google says it will implement similar procedures while warning of added privacy risks for minors.
- The law requires a “commercially reasonable” age check that may involve identity documents, biometrics, or digital age analysis, and parents are to be notified about content ratings, data collection, and third‑party sharing before granting consent.
- Developers must cut off a minor’s access within 24 hours if parental permission is revoked, and exemptions cover emergency services, mental‑health crisis lines, and certain nonprofit educational apps, with Utah and Louisiana reported to adopt similar measures in 2026.