Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed into law a controversial online child safety bill requiring prominent app stores such as Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store to verify the age of their users and obtain parental consent before allowing minors to download apps or make in-app purchases. The new legislation is set to take effect on January 1.
The bill gained significant public attention recently when reports emerged stating Apple CEO Tim Cook personally reached out to Governor Abbott, attempting to persuade him either to abandon or significantly modify the bill after the Texas legislature had approved it. Apple and Google had both engaged with various interest groups to actively oppose the legislation, arguing that its enforcement could threaten user privacy safeguards and complicate existing digital platform practices.
Previously, Apple successfully campaigned to halt an analogous bill in Louisiana. However, Louisiana lawmakers have indicated they will revisit the proposal for legislative consideration. With Texas’ new policy now officially adopted, it joins Utah, which earlier this year became the first state to implement a similar app-related age verification law. Reports indicate that at least nine additional states are exploring similar legislative measures to regulate app stores and strengthen child online safety.
