Here’s How Apple Is Locking Down Iphones To Comply With Texas’ Age Verification Law

Starting adjacent year, Texas will require companies for illustration Apple and Google to verify nan ages of group that usage their app stores, and Apple shared today really it’s going to comply. Starting January 1st, 2026, anyone trying to make a caller Apple Account must corroborate if they are complete 18, and immoderate users nether 18 must subordinate a Family Sharing group. Parents and guardians will besides beryllium required to springiness their consent for users nether 18 to download apps aliases to make in-app purchases.

Developers will besides person to make changes to comply pinch nan law. Apple already offers a Declared Age Range API that developers tin instrumentality to inquire users their wide age, and nan API “will beryllium updated successful nan coming months to supply nan required property categories for caller relationship users successful Texas,” Apple says. Apple is besides launching caller APIs “later this year” that “will alteration developers, erstwhile they find a important alteration is made to their app, to invoke a strategy acquisition to let nan personification to petition that parental consent beryllium re-obtained.”

Utah and Louisiana person passed akin laws, and Apple says that “similar requirements will travel into effect later adjacent year” successful those states. Google has besides shared guidance astir really it will support Google Play developers up of nan property verification laws going into effect.

Apple has pushed backmost connected app shop property verification laws, pinch CEO Tim Cook calling Texas politician Greg Abbott to effort and get changes to Texas’ SB2420 bill. “While we stock nan extremity of strengthening kids’ online safety, we are concerned that SB2420 impacts nan privateness of users by requiring nan postulation of sensitive, personally identifiable accusation to download immoderate app, moreover if a personification simply wants to cheque nan upwind aliases sports scores,” Apple says successful today’s notice.