Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law a bill requiring Apple and Alphabet’s Google to verify the age of users accessing their app stores, making Texas a key player in the debate over regulating smartphone use by children and teenagers.
The law, which takes effect on January 1, mandates parental consent for users under 18 to download apps or make in-app purchases.
This move follows similar legislation passed earlier this year in Utah, and a federal bill has also been introduced in the U.S. Congress. Another Texas bill, currently awaiting a Senate vote after passing the state House of Representatives, seeks to restrict social media apps to users aged 18 and above.
The issue of age limits and parental consent on social media platforms enjoys broad support among Americans, with a 2023 Pew Research poll showing 81% favor parental consent for children creating social media accounts and 71% supporting age verification before use.
The impact of social media on children’s mental health has become a prominent concern globally, with many U.S. states suing Meta Platforms and the U.S. Surgeon General issuing advisory guidelines on child safety online. Australia banned social media use for children under 16 last year, while countries like Norway are also considering new regulations.
The implementation of age restrictions has sparked a conflict between Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, and Apple and Google, which operate the dominant U.S. app stores. Meta, along with Snap and X, welcomed the Texas law, calling for a unified system that allows parents to verify their children’s age and grant permissions through app stores.
Apple and Google have expressed opposition to the Texas bill, arguing it would require them to collect sensitive personal information from every user in the state, including those downloading non-controversial apps like weather or sports apps. Both companies have proposed alternatives that would share age range data only with apps that require it.
The Texas law is expected to face legal challenges, with critics arguing it could infringe on First Amendment rights by burdening adult speech while regulating children’s access to digital content.
Child online safety advocates supporting the bill argue that self-regulation by app stores has failed, prioritizing profits over the safety and rights of children and families.
Google emphasizes the need for carefully crafted legislation that holds social media companies accountable for the harm to children and teenagers on their platforms, while ensuring appropriate measures are taken to protect young users.
