App Store Age Verification Gets Push From New Bipartisan Bill
A bipartisan push is underway in Congress to make app stores responsible for verifying the ages of their users and preventing underage access to certain content. The App Store Accountability Act, introduced by Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), signifies a new front in the ongoing battle to protect children online. Lee’s proposal aims to empower parents while addressing legal hurdles that have stymied past efforts.
Holding App Stores Accountable
Lee’s bill seeks to shift the burden of age verification from social media platforms to the empires that host them: Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store. This approach aligns with a strategy advocated by Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.
“For too long, app stores and developers have prioritized profits over the safety of our children,” Lee stated in a release announcing the bill. “Parents are doing their best to shield their kids from harmful content, but the tools available are often ineffective, inaccessible, and easy to bypass. This legislation puts parents back in control by holding app stores accountable and ensuring they offer robust protections for kids.”
The legislation would enable parents to more easily pursue legal action against app stores for allegedly allowing harmful content to reach their children. Simultaneously, it would offer a “safe harbor” to app stores that proactively implement age verification measures, parental oversight tools, and accurate age ratings for apps.
Navigating the Free Speech Debate
The bill comes at a time when state and federal lawmakers are grappling with how to effectively regulate online content without infringing on free speech rights.
Recently, a Utah law mandating age verification for social media users was temporarily blocked by a judge. The judge cited concerns raised by NetChoice, an industry group representing tech companies, who argued that the law violated the First Amendment.
Lee’s bill aims to circumvent similar legal challenges by focusing on app stores, which are seen as intermediaries rather than direct content providers. This approach has garnered support from proponents like Nathan Leamer, executive director of the Digital First Project, who believe it levels the playing field for online companies while avoiding free speech complications.
“This could be a way to get around legal challenges that have hindered other efforts to protect children online,” Leamer wrote in a Washington Examiner op-ed.
A Race Against Time
While the bill has bipartisan support, its fate remains uncertain. With the current session of Congress drawing to a close, a spokesman for Lee said the bill will likely not be voted on until after a new Congress is sworn in early next year.
The App Store Accountability Act represents a potentially significant shift in the ongoing debate over online safety and children’s well-being. If successful, it could usher in a new era where app stores become more directly responsible for safeguarding young users from harmful content. However, its ultimate impact hinges on whether it can navigate both technological challenges andFirst Amendment concerns.
