Nine States Propose Making App Stores Responsible for Age Verification

Nine US States Proposing App Store Responsibility for Age Verification

At least nine US states, including Utah and South Carolina, are considering legislation that would make app store operators like Apple and Google responsible for age verification before allowing access to apps with minimum age requirements. Currently, the responsibility lies with developers, but this is changing as concerns about child safety on social media platforms grow.

Social Media and Age Verification

Social media apps often have a minimum age requirement of 13, but there are ongoing accusations that these platforms fail to enforce these rules effectively, potentially leading to addiction among teenagers. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has argued that app stores are better positioned to handle age verification due to their existing infrastructure for handling user data and parental controls.

Legislative Efforts

Apple has previously lobbied against similar legislation in Louisiana, but new bills have been introduced in at least nine states over the past two months. These bills aim to require app store operators to verify users' ages and obtain parental consent before allowing minors to download apps. A coalition of child-safety advocates is forming to support these laws nationwide.

Arguments for App Store Responsibility

Proponents argue that app stores are better equipped to handle age verification, as they often have access to user data like credit card information and family sharing accounts. iOS 18.4 includes a feature where new iPhone users are prompted to enter their age range during setup, which can help in setting up parental controls and safety features. While some argue that this could pose a privacy risk, others believe that Apple and Google are more trusted with sensitive personal information compared to social media companies like Meta.