SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – On Wednesday, Utah became the first state in the United States to enact legislation mandating app stores to verify the ages of users and obtain parental consent for minors wishing to download applications on their devices. The bill is now awaiting the signature of Governor Spencer Cox and has sparked a significant debate between tech giants, notably Meta, which oversees platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and app store leaders, Apple and Google, about the responsibility of age verification. Similar legislative attempts are being considered in at least eight other states as the battle over children's online safety continues.
The conflict arises from concerns that social media companies do not sufficiently ensure the safety of minors using their platforms or verify whether users under the age of 13 are accessing them. Meta, alongside other social media firms, advocates that age verification should fall under the purview of app stores, arguing that this will provide a more centralized and privacy-preserving solution for parents. In a united statement, Meta, X, and Snap Inc. commended Utah's legislation as a significant step in empowering parents and urged Congress to adopt similar regulations.
In contrast, app stores contend that app developers are better suited to handle age verification and other safeguards. Apple has expressed that enforcing such requirements would force all app users to disclose sensitive information, including government-issued IDs or credit card numbers, which may not be in the best interest of user privacy or safety. The company emphasized that many children lack government-issued IDs, which would place an undue burden on parents to provide personal credentials just to gain access to child-friendly apps.
Apple further argues that age should be considered a privacy-related matter, allowing users the discretion to disclose their age. Both Apple and Google provide options for parents to set parameters for age-appropriate app downloads, reflecting their stance that the age verification process should involve less invasive measures.
Tech advocacy groups like the Chamber of Progress have actively lobbied against Utah's proposed legislation, asserting that it infringes on individual privacy rights and imposes unreasonable expectations on app stores to ensure online safety. The measure has its supporters, including Republican Senator Todd Weiler, who sponsors the bill and believes that targeting two major app stores is a simpler approach than focusing on thousands of individual app developers.
Provisions within the bill require app stores to ask for age information during account creation, linking minor accounts to their parents’ accounts and potentially requiring identification to verify the parent’s identity. The bill also stipulates that if a child attempts to download an app that allows in-app purchases or requires agreement to specific terms, prior approval from a parent is necessary.
Support for the legislation includes input from mothers like Melissa McKay, whose personal experiences with online safety concerns spurred her advocacy. After a troubling incident involving her nephew being exposed to inappropriate content, McKay emphasized the importance of accurate age ratings and effective parental controls in curbing online harm.
As the debate continues, other states are exploring similar proposals that shift the burden of age verification and parental permissions onto app stores. A bill in Alabama has recently advanced through legislative committees, following the trend set by Utah. However, legal challenges have previously hindered the enforcement of state regulations concerning social media platforms. For instance, a federal judge temporarily blocked Utah's earlier law, which mandated age verification for social media users.
If Governor Cox signs the new legislation into law, it is expected that most provisions will take effect on May 7. The governor's office has yet to provide comments regarding the bill’s progression. Notably, Cox had expressed support for an earlier law that introduced age verification for social media accounts, indicating his alignment with the legislative push towards protecting minors online.
