Texas Governor Enacts Legislation: App Store Users' Ages Now Need Verification by Apple and Google.
App Stores to Introduce Age Verification in Texas Following Governor's Approval of Bill
In a move aimed at protecting children online, Governor Greg Abbott of Texas has signed a bill into law that will require Apple and Google to verify the ages of users on their app stores. This follows similar legislation passed in Utah earlier this year.
The Texas App Store Accountability Act mandates that app stores collect more user data than their Utah counterpart. The enforcement of this law is set to commence at the start of next year, allowing app stores several months to devise a strategy for age verification.
The bill passed with super-majority approval in both the Texas House and Senate, marking a broader push for regulation to safeguard children online. Some lawmakers and social media companies argue that app stores should serve as centralized clearinghouses for verifying users' ages. Several other U.S. states have proposed similar legislation.
However, app store operators and some experts caution that age verification could pose privacy risks and be challenging to enforce. An Apple spokesperson stated last week, "We believe there are better proposals that help keep kids safe without requiring millions of people to turn over their personal information." Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly contacted Abbott to express concerns about the bill.
According to the Texas law, app stores must verify all users' ages and obtain parental consent before minor users can download or make purchases through an app. They are also required to share "age categories" – Child, Young Teenager, Older Teenager, or Adult – with app developers. This data is intended to help providers create safer experiences for young users.
Unlike Utah's law, Texas' legislation includes an additional requirement: The app stores must also confirm that the parent or guardian approving a minor's app download has the legal authority to make decisions for that child.
Apple and Google maintain that the age verification bills will infringe on individual privacy. Every user, not just children, may have to provide sensitive data – likely an ID or a scan of their face – to confirm their age, even for apps where age is irrelevant, such as weather apps. The custody rule will also necessitate parents to disclose additional personal documentation.
Legal experts have raised concerns that such laws could violate the First Amendment by forcing adults to choose between handing over personal information or accessing "legally protected online speech." Minors would be forced to acquire parental consent before accessing protected online speech.
Although Apple has suggested alternative proposals that would involve a shared responsibility for age verification between app stores and app developers, some social media companies, including Meta, Snap, and X, advocate for app stores to be responsible for verifying users' ages.
As online platforms face criticism for exposing young users to risks like sexual harassment and eating disorder content, these new laws underscore concerns and questions about how teenagers use technology. Even as they roll out teen safety features, critics have noted that young people could evade them by signing up for accounts with inaccurate birthdates, prompting calls for formal age verification.
The Texas law, requiring age verification on App Stores, follows similar policy-and-legislation passed in Utah and marks a broader push for technology regulations to safeguard children online. However, this age verification policy, which might necessitate users to disclose personal identification, has raised concerns about privacy risks and potential infringement on the general-news category of legally protected online speech.
