A bill requiring Apple and Alphabet’s Google to verify the age of users of their app stores could become law in Texas.
The second-most-populous state in the U.S. is at the centre of a debate over regulating smartphone use among children and teenagers.
Senate Bill 2420 would require app store owners to verify user ages and obtain parental consent for users under 18 to download apps or make in-app purchases. Utah passed a similar law earlier this year, and U.S. lawmakers have introduced a federal bill.
The Texas bill awaits Governor Greg Abbott’s signature after receiving supermajority approval from both houses of the Texas legislature.
Another bill, which hasn’t passed yet, would restrict social media apps to users over 18. Age limits and parental consent for social media apps have wide consensus in America, with 81% of Americans supporting parental consent for children to create social media accounts and 71% supporting age verification before using social media, according to a 2023 Pew Research poll.
The mental health impact of social media on children has become a growing global concern. Dozens of U.S. states are suing Meta platforms and the U.S. Surgeon General has issued an advisory calling for safeguards for children.
Recall, Australia banned social media for children under 16, and countries like Norway are considering new rules.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg believes parents shouldn’t have to upload IDs or proof of parenthood for every app their children use, suggesting app stores themselves should handle age verification. Child online safety groups support app store age verification, saying it’s the only way to give parents effective control over children’s technology use.
“The problem is that self-regulation in the digital marketplace has failed, where app stores have prioritised profit over safety and rights of children and families,” says Casey Stefanski, executive director of the Digital Childhood Alliance.
Apple, Google oppose bill
Apple and Google oppose the bill, citing concerns over sharing age data with all apps, even uncontroversial ones. “If enacted, app marketplaces will be required to collect and keep sensitive personal identifying information for every Texan who wants to download an app,” Apple said.
Meanwhile, both companies propose sharing age range data only with apps that require it. “We see a role for legislation here,” Kareem Ghanem from Google said, emphasising the need for proper implementation and accountability.
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