On Wednesday, Utah became the first state to pass legislation requiring app stores to verify the ages of users and obtain parental consent before minors can download apps on their devices.
The bill, now on its way to Governor Spencer Cox’s desk, has sparked a clash between Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, and major app store providers Apple and Google regarding who should be responsible for age verification. This bill is part of a growing movement, with similar legislation being introduced in at least eight other states, all part of a larger debate over online safety for children. These proposals targeting app stores come after previous legal battles requiring social media platforms to verify users’ ages.
Meta and other social media companies argue that app stores are better equipped to handle age verification, citing concerns that they currently fail to protect children or prevent those under 13 from accessing their platforms. They support putting the responsibility on app stores to verify users’ ages, with a joint statement from Meta, X (formerly Twitter), and Snap Inc., expressing approval of Utah’s legislation. The companies emphasized that parents want a central place to verify their children’s ages and approve app downloads while ensuring privacy. They also urged Congress to follow Utah’s lead.
However, app store giants Apple and Google argue that app developers are better suited to handle age verification and other safety features. They warn that requiring app stores to verify ages could force all users to submit sensitive personal information, such as government-issued IDs, passports, credit cards, or Social Security numbers, even if they aren’t using age-restricted apps. Apple raised concerns that many U.S. children don’t have official IDs, meaning parents would need to provide even more sensitive documentation to allow children access to apps designed for kids. The company maintains that age verification is a matter of privacy, offering parents options to set age-appropriate restrictions on app downloads. Google offers similar age-related controls on its Play Store.
Apple, Google, and other tech companies also back the Chamber of Progress, a policy group that lobbied against Utah’s bill. The group, with Apple’s support, helped block a similar bill in Louisiana last year that would have required app stores to enforce age restrictions.
Kouri Marshall, a representative from the Chamber of Progress, criticized the bill, calling it a “tremendous encroachment of individual privacy” that imposes an excessive burden on app stores to ensure online safety.
Senator Todd Weiler, a Republican and the bill’s sponsor, defended the measure, arguing that it is much simpler to target just two app stores rather than the thousands of individual app developers.
Under the new law, app stores will be required to request age information when a user creates an account. If a minor attempts to open an account, the app store would link it to the parent’s account and may ask for a form of ID to verify the minor’s identity. A credit card could be used as a means of verifying age in most cases.
If a child tries to download an app that includes in-app purchases or requires agreement to terms and conditions, the parent will need to approve the download first.
Melissa McKay, a mother from Utah, was one of the key advocates for the legislation. Her concern for device safety began after her nephew encountered “really harmful content” on another student’s device at school in 2017. McKay believes that inaccurate age ratings on apps and ineffective parental controls are the main causes of online harm.
Several other states, including Alabama, are considering similar proposals, which would hold app stores accountable for verifying user ages and obtaining parental consent. Last week, a legislative committee in Alabama advanced its version of the bill.
Lawsuits have slowed the implementation of state laws that regulate social media apps and websites. In 2024, a federal judge temporarily blocked Utah’s earlier law, which required social media companies to verify the ages of all users and impose restrictions on accounts belonging to minors.
If Governor Spencer Cox signs the new bill into law, most of its provisions will take effect on May 7. The governor’s office did not respond to inquiries about the bill on Wednesday. Cox, a Republican, had previously supported a state law that requires age verification on social media platforms, although that law is currently on hold.