Utah Puts Age Verification on App Stores: Parents and Users Gain Control

Utah Passes App Store Accountability Act

On March 27, 2025, Utah signed the App Store Accountability Act into law, making Apple and Google legally responsible for age verification of app store users. The act takes effect on May 7, giving both companies time to implement necessary changes.

Key Points:

• Age Verification: Users in Utah will need to be over 18 to create a new account with an app store; underage users must link their accounts to a parent's for permission to use certain apps.
• Ongoing Battle: This issue has been a point of contention between tech giants and social media companies. Most social media apps require users to be at least 13 years old, but age verification is often lax.
• Legislative Support: Meta, Snap, and X have supported the measure, praising Utah for empowering parents and users with greater control over teen app downloads.
• Legal Challenges: Apple and Google are expected to challenge the law in court.

Arguments for Age Verification by App Stores:

1. Practicality: It is more efficient for a few app store providers to perform age verification once per account rather than each individual app developer.
2. Data Privacy: Users may prefer entrusting sensitive personal data to established tech companies like Apple and Google rather than numerous social media platforms.