Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed a new online child safety bill into law, requiring app stores to verify users’ ages and obtain parental consent before minors can download most apps or make in-app purchases. The legislation, effective January 1, 2026, places Texas at the forefront of a national debate over regulating children’s smartphone use, despite strong opposition from tech giants like Apple and Google.
Apple CEO Tim Cook called Texas governor to express concern on the bill
The bill, modeled after Utah’s App Store Accountability Act, drew significant pushback from Apple Inc, with CEO Tim Cook reportedly personally calling Abbott to voice the company’s concerns, according to a source familiar with the discussion. Apple and Google argued that the law threatens user privacy by mandating age verification for all app downloads, even for innocuous apps like weather or sports updates.
“We believe there are better proposals that help keep kids safe without requiring millions of people to turn over their personal information,” Apple said in a statement. Google echoed similar concerns, with senior director Kareem Ghanem, as per a report in Reuters, emphasizing the need for targeted legislation that addresses social media harms without broad privacy implications.
What is the Online Child-Safety bill about
The measure, authored by Texas State Senator Angela Paxton, requires parental consent for users under 18 to access apps or make in-app purchases. It follows Utah’s lead as the second U.S. state to enact such a law, with federal lawmakers also considering similar legislation. A separate Texas bill restricting social media apps to users over 18 is pending a Senate vote.
Apple and Google oppose the bill
Apple and Google have proposed alternatives, such as sharing age range data only with apps that need it. However, with Texas moving forward, the law sets a precedent that could influence other states and shape the ongoing national conversation about balancing child safety and user privacy.
Bill pits Facebook against Google and Apple
The debate has also highlighted tensions between tech giants. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has advocated for app stores to handle age verification, arguing it’s more efficient than requiring parental ID uploads for every app. Meta declined to comment on the Texas bill.
Public support for the bill
Public support for such measures is strong, with a 2023 Pew Research poll showing 81% of Americans favor requiring parental consent for children’s social media accounts and 71% support age verification. The growing concern over social media’s impact on children’s mental health has fueled global action, with countries like Australia banning social media for those under 16 and others, like Norway, exploring similar restrictions.
Apple CEO Tim Cook called Texas governor to express concern on the bill
The bill, modeled after Utah’s App Store Accountability Act, drew significant pushback from Apple Inc, with CEO Tim Cook reportedly personally calling Abbott to voice the company’s concerns, according to a source familiar with the discussion. Apple and Google argued that the law threatens user privacy by mandating age verification for all app downloads, even for innocuous apps like weather or sports updates.
“We believe there are better proposals that help keep kids safe without requiring millions of people to turn over their personal information,” Apple said in a statement. Google echoed similar concerns, with senior director Kareem Ghanem, as per a report in Reuters, emphasizing the need for targeted legislation that addresses social media harms without broad privacy implications.
What is the Online Child-Safety bill about
The measure, authored by Texas State Senator Angela Paxton, requires parental consent for users under 18 to access apps or make in-app purchases. It follows Utah’s lead as the second U.S. state to enact such a law, with federal lawmakers also considering similar legislation. A separate Texas bill restricting social media apps to users over 18 is pending a Senate vote.
Apple and Google oppose the bill
Apple and Google have proposed alternatives, such as sharing age range data only with apps that need it. However, with Texas moving forward, the law sets a precedent that could influence other states and shape the ongoing national conversation about balancing child safety and user privacy.
Bill pits Facebook against Google and Apple
The debate has also highlighted tensions between tech giants. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has advocated for app stores to handle age verification, arguing it’s more efficient than requiring parental ID uploads for every app. Meta declined to comment on the Texas bill.
Public support for the bill
Public support for such measures is strong, with a 2023 Pew Research poll showing 81% of Americans favor requiring parental consent for children’s social media accounts and 71% support age verification. The growing concern over social media’s impact on children’s mental health has fueled global action, with countries like Australia banning social media for those under 16 and others, like Norway, exploring similar restrictions.
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