Texas Nears Approval of Age Verification Law for App Stores, Targeting Apple and Google
Texas is poised to pass Senate Bill 2420, which would require Apple and Google to implement age verification in their app stores. The bill mandates that app store operators verify the age of users and obtain parental consent if the user is under 18 years old, adding Texas to a growing list of governments moving to protect children’s online safety.
After receiving supermajority support in both houses of the Texas Legislature, the bill now awaits Governor Greg Abbott’s signature and is expected to become law in the coming days.
What Senate Bill 2420 Requires
Under SB 2420, Apple’s App Store and Google Play would be required to:
- Verify the age of the user of a device
- Require parental consent for users under 18 to:
- Download apps
- Make in-app purchases
This legislation echoes a similar law passed in Utah earlier this year and parallels a federal bill currently under consideration in Washington, D.C.
Child Safety and Social Media: A National and Global Concern
Age verification and parental consent are quickly becoming consensus issues in the U.S. A 2023 Pew Research poll showed:
- 81% of Americans support requiring parental consent for kids to use social media
- 71% support mandatory age verification for social media access
Governments and public health leaders have also joined the call:
- The U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory on protecting kids online
- Australia banned social media for users under 16
- Norway and others are weighing similar legislation
Conflict Brewing Between Big Tech Giants
Texas law reignites a tech industry conflict over who is responsible for verifying age:
- Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously told U.S. lawmakers that age verification should be handled at the app store level, not within every app
- Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, declined to comment on the Texas bill
Child advocacy groups support the law.
“Self-regulation has failed. App stores have prioritized profit over the safety of children,” said Casey Stefanski, Executive Director of the Digital Childhood Alliance
Apple and Google Push Back on the Bill
Apple and Google have opposed the bill, citing concerns about privacy and overreach.
- Apple warned the law would require app stores to collect personal identifying information from all users, even for non-sensitive apps like weather or sports
- Google favors a targeted approach, sharing age-range data only with apps that require it
“We support smart legislation, but it must focus on where the real harm is, social media apps,” said Kareem Ghanem, Google’s Senior Director of Public Policy
What’s Next for Digital Safety in Texas?
In addition to SB 2420, another Texas bill under review could ban social media access for users under 18 entirely, signalling the state’s strong stance on youth digital health.
As tech companies, lawmakers, and child safety advocates continue to clash, Texas may become a national model for how states regulate youth access to digital platforms in a post-self-regulation era.
