Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed sweeping online child safety legislation Tuesday that forces Apple’s App Store and Google Play to implement strict age verification systems.
The law, set to take effect January 1, 2025, requires parental consent for minors downloading apps or making in-app purchases—a move both tech giants vigorously opposed.
Apple immediately criticized the measure, warning it would force “millions of Texans to surrender sensitive personal information” even for benign apps like weather services.
CEO Tim Cook personally lobbied Governor Abbott to block the bill, according to Wall Street Journal reports. Google declined comment, but both companies prefer federal legislation like the stalled Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) that Apple supports.
Meanwhile, Texas is now the second Republican-led state after Utah to implement such requirements, highlighting a growing trend of state-level tech regulation in the midst of congressional holdup. This law pits app store operators against social media firms like Meta, which has long argued platform owners should handle age verification.
Privacy vs Protection Debate Increases As a Consequence
While applauding child safety goals, Apple contends the mandate creates unnecessary data collection risks. The company already requires age ranges for new devices and parental consent for under-13 users.
Digital rights groups warn the law could establish dangerous precedents for online privacy, echoing concerns about Texas’ 2021 social media “censorship” law that barred viewpoint-based bans.
As the nation’s second-largest state economy, Texas’ move pressures Silicon Valley to adapt policies that could become de facto national standards. With KOSA stalled in the House, more states may follow Texas’ lead creating a patchwork of regulations that tech firms argue complicates compliancy.
