Tech

Utah App Store Age Verification Law: A Landmark Move for Online Child Safety

Salt Lake City, AP – Utah has become the first state in the United States to pass legislation mandating app stores to verify users’ ages before allowing them to download applications. The Utah App Store Age Verification Law now awaits Governor Spencer Cox’s approval, marking a significant step in regulating online safety for minors.

The bill, which has sparked a nationwide debate, requires app stores to verify the age of users and obtain parental consent for minors before allowing them to download apps. This move has led to a rift between major tech companies such as Meta, Apple, and Google, as they debate who should bear the responsibility of age verification.

The Controversy Behind the Utah App Store Age Verification Law

The passage of the Utah App Store Age Verification Law has ignited discussions across the tech industry, especially among social media giants and app store operators. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has publicly supported the bill, arguing that app stores are in the best position to handle age verification.

“Parents want a one-stop shop to verify their child’s age and grant permission for them to download apps in a privacy-preserving way. The app store is the best place for it,” read a joint statement from Meta, Snap Inc., and X (formerly Twitter). The companies urged federal lawmakers to consider similar legislation at the national level.

However, Apple and Google have expressed concerns, arguing that requiring app stores to verify ages would force them to collect and store sensitive user data, such as driver’s licenses, passports, Social Security numbers, or credit card details. Apple stated that the regulation could potentially infringe on user privacy, as all users—regardless of whether they are minors—would need to submit personal identification to access any app.

In a recent online safety report, Apple emphasized its current privacy policies, which allow parents to set age restrictions on their child’s device without requiring additional documentation. The Google Play Store follows similar policies, allowing parental control settings within accounts.

How the Utah App Store Age Verification Law Works

Under the new law, app stores must prompt users to enter their age when creating an account. If the user is a minor, the store must link their account to a parent’s and may require identification verification. The legislation also mandates parental approval for any app that involves in-app purchases or requires the acceptance of terms and conditions.

Republican Senator Todd Weiler, the sponsor of the bill, defended the move by highlighting the practicality of targeting a few app store providers rather than thousands of individual app developers.

“It’s a lot easier to target two app stores than it is to target 10,000 developers,” Weiler said, emphasizing the efficiency of placing responsibility on platforms like Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

To facilitate age verification, the law suggests using a credit card in most cases, as a way to confirm parental identity and approval.

Why Utah Passed the App Store Age Verification Law

Parental concerns about online safety have played a significant role in pushing the legislation forward. Melissa McKay, a Utah-based mother who advocated for the bill, shared her experience of discovering how her nephew was exposed to inappropriate content on a classmate’s device at school in 2017.

“Age ratings on apps are often inaccurate, and parental controls don’t always work as intended,” McKay said. “This law is a necessary step in protecting children from harmful online content.”

Utah has been at the forefront of online child safety regulations, having previously passed a law requiring social media platforms to verify user ages. However, that legislation was temporarily blocked by a federal judge in 2024 due to legal challenges.

Opposition and Privacy Concerns

Despite the intended goal of protecting children, tech industry advocates and privacy groups have raised concerns about the Utah App Store Age Verification Law. The Chamber of Progress, a tech policy group supported by Apple and Google, actively lobbied against the bill, arguing that it infringes on individual privacy and places an undue burden on app stores.

“This law represents a tremendous encroachment on personal privacy,” said Kouri Marshall, a spokesperson for the Chamber of Progress. “It also forces users to submit sensitive documentation, which could potentially increase cybersecurity risks.”

Apple has pointed out that many children do not have government-issued IDs, making it difficult for parents to verify their children’s ages under the new requirements. Additionally, Apple and Google contend that app developers, rather than app stores, should be responsible for ensuring compliance with age-restricted content regulations.

National Implications and Future of Age Verification Laws

The passage of the Utah App Store Age Verification Law is expected to influence legislation in other states. Currently, at least eight other states, including Alabama, are considering similar proposals that would place the burden of age verification on app stores rather than app developers.

The debate over online child safety has gained momentum in recent years, with lawmakers exploring various ways to regulate digital platforms. However, previous attempts at enforcing age verification laws for social media have faced significant legal challenges. If Governor Cox signs the bill into law, its impact will be closely watched as other states weigh their own approaches to protecting minors online.

As of now, the governor’s office has not responded to requests for comment, but Cox has previously supported similar laws aimed at safeguarding children in the digital space. If enacted, most provisions of the Utah App Store Age Verification Law will take effect on May 7, 2025.