Utah’s Making App Stores Responsible for User Age Checking

Utah Leads the Way in App Store Age Verification Utah Governor Spencer Cox has signed a groundbreaking bill that holds Apple and Google responsible for verifying user ages in their app stores. The new law requires parental permission for users under 18 to download certain apps. This move represents a significant shift in online age verification, placing the responsibility on app stores rather than individual apps. Meta, previously known as Facebook, has been advocating for this change for several years. In 2023, Meta's Global Head of Safety, Antigone Davis, proposed that app stores play a bigger role in keeping young children away from adult-focused apps or at least ensure that parents are aware before downloading them. There are currently inconsistent laws across U.S. states regarding age restrictions for apps, which led Meta to push for tighter controls at the app store level. The implementation of age restrictions by app stores would make it more difficult for teens to access adult-focused apps. Currently, individual apps have to verify user IDs themselves, creating inconsistencies and loopholes. Meta supports federal legislation that requires app stores to obtain parental approval for teen downloads, similar to the notification parents receive when their teen attempts to make a purchase. Meta and Snap Inc. have applauded Utah for empowering parents and users with greater control over teen app downloads. They urge other states to consider this approach, as it streamlines and centralizes parental oversight within the app store. This approach eliminates the need for users to repeatedly submit personal information to individual apps and online services. The current system of individual app-based age verification has proven ineffective, with various platforms implementing different approaches. The increasing popularity of social media apps among young kids and the presence of underage users on these platforms highlight the need for a consistent and enforceable age-checking process. A standardized process would prevent an unfair advantage for platforms that are better at keeping underage users out. New age-detection processes, such as third-party video age-checking, show promise. However, concerns about user privacy and the cost of implementing such systems on a global scale remain. App store centralization, utilizing existing personal information, seems like a more practical and efficient solution. While Google and Apple may be reluctant to take on the role of age arbiters, Utah's new law forces them to undertake this responsibility. It remains to be seen how this approach will unfold in Utah and whether other states will follow suit.