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- Apple is set to enforce new age restrictions for App Store users in Texas by 2026.
- The law requires users under 18 to get adult approval for app downloads and purchases.
- A parenting coach said it’s a win for online safety.
Apple is cracking down on kids using the App Store in Texas, and it’s going to need parents’ help.
Due to a law passed in Texas, Apple said Wednesday that it will require users who create a new Apple account to confirm whether they are 18 years or older. Minors will have to join a family sharing group run by an adult to be able to download apps and make in-app purchases.
It may seem like overkill for older teens or basic apps, but life coach and parenting educator Elisabeth Stitt told Business Insider that it’s also a tool for parents.
“On the whole, it will provide parents a checkpoint for knowing what their kids are doing on their phones,” Stitt said.
The new requirement goes into effect on January 1, 2026, with similar rules to come later next year in Utah and Louisiana, Apple said. In its note to developers, Apple said that “protecting kids from online threats requires constant vigilance and effort.”
However, Apple is also a proponent of user privacy. In the developer note, it expressed concern that the law requires “the collection of sensitive, personally identifiable information to download any app, even if a user simply wants to check the weather or sports scores.”
Still, Stitt said the restrictions could prompt parents to talk to their kids about their phone usage.
“Parents are not taking the time to discuss apps with their kids,” she said. “The age verification restrictions will give parents a structure for having more dialogue with their children about how they are using their phones.”
Recently, Roblox, a gaming app popular among kids, has been the subject of scrutiny, with a lawsuit calling it a “hunting ground for child-sex predators.” The $90 billion gaming platform has been accused of not doing enough to protect children.
The new Texas law would push parents to be more involved in their child’s online safety when it comes to downloads and purchases on Apple and Google’s app platforms.
“It is much easier to have conversations about concerns before saying yes versus finding out that a child has been on an app and getting upset after the fact,” Stitt said.
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