Utah has taken a groundbreaking step in online child safety by passing the App Store Accountability Act, making it the first U.S. state to require Apple and Google to verify users' ages on their mobile app stores.
Governor Spencer Cox signed the bill on Wednesday, shifting the responsibility of age verification from individual apps to the major platform operators. Under the new law, both tech giants must implement age checks when users create new accounts in Utah and obtain parental consent for users under 18.
The verification process will likely involve credit card checks, according to bill sponsor State Senator Todd Weiler. For minors, app store accounts must be linked to a parent's account, with parental approval required for in-app purchases.
Major social media companies Meta, X, and Snap have publicly supported the legislation, praising Utah's centralized approach. In a joint statement, they emphasized how this method prevents users from repeatedly submitting personal information across multiple apps.
However, the law faces potential challenges. Apple has expressed privacy concerns about collecting sensitive data like driver's licenses and Social Security numbers for universal age verification. Google warns the legislation could introduce new privacy risks for minors.
The law is scheduled to take effect on May 7, though legal challenges may delay implementation. Its passage could inspire similar legislation in other states, with South Carolina and California already considering comparable measures.
This development follows recent Congressional hearings where social media CEOs faced intense scrutiny over child safety on their platforms, though federal legislation has yet to materialize.
The Utah law represents a major shift in how online platforms approach age verification and child protection, potentially setting a new standard for digital safety measures nationwide.