Texas has moved to the forefront of a national campaign to regulate children’s access to digital platforms by mandating that Apple and Google verify the ages of all users on their app stores.
Under a new law signed by Governor Greg Abbott, set to take effect January 1, 2026, those under 18 will be required to obtain parental consent before downloading apps or making in-app purchases. The measure has been pitched as a way to protect minors, but privacy advocates warn it could come at the expense of everyone’s digital freedom.
We obtained a copy of the bill for you here.
The requirement places app store operators in the role of gatekeepers, forcing them to gather and store sensitive personal information to determine user ages.
Opponents argue that such age checks do not just affect young users, (explicit adult content apps are already banned from app stores) and they also undermine anonymity online by tying a person’s digital presence to a verified real-world identity. That level of surveillance risks chilling free expression and stifling dissent by making it harder for people to speak or access information without fear of being identified.
Efforts to regulate youth access to apps and online services are gaining traction elsewhere as well. Utah enacted a similar policy earlier this year, and Congress is weighing federal legislation. Texas lawmakers are also advancing a separate bill that would prohibit users under 18 from accessing social media altogether.
More: A Battle Revisited: The Supreme Court’s History With Age Verification and Online Anonymity Bans
While the law does state that app developers should delete the personal data provided by the app store provider, the wider problem is that users will have to trust that an app developer will actually do so. App store providers such as Apple and Google will have to retain sensitive data on its users.
Supporters of the Texas law argue that app stores are uniquely positioned to serve as the central checkpoint for age validation. Meta, Snap, and X have praised the move.
“Thank you, @GregAbbott_TX, for signing SB 2420, device-based age verification, into law,” an official X account posted “This is a significant step toward protecting children and strengthening online safety for Texas families. X urges other states and the federal government to follow suit.”
Apple and Google, however, have raised serious concerns. They argue the law forces a universal system that compels age checks for all users, regardless of the type of app being downloaded. According to Apple, the mandate could lead to unnecessary data collection across the board, even for simple apps like those providing weather forecasts or sports updates.
“If enacted, app marketplaces will be required to collect and keep sensitive personal identifying information for every Texan who wants to download an app,” the company stated.
Google echoed those worries, with senior policy executive Kareem Ghanem expressing support for smart regulation that targets actual sources of harm while protecting privacy. “We see a role for legislation here,” he said. “It’s just got to be done in the right way, and it’s got to hold the feet of Mark Zuckerberg and the social media companies to the fire because it’s the harms to kids and teens on those sites that’s really inspired people to take a closer look here and see how we can all do better.”
The law’s constitutionality is already being questioned, and we’ve gone into detail about the constitutional challenges of such laws.
