Here’s how Apple is locking down iPhones to comply with Texas’ age verification law

Starting adjacent year, Texas will require companies similar Apple and Google to verify the ages of radical that usage their app stores, and Apple shared today however it’s going to comply. Starting January 1st, 2026, anyone trying to marque a caller Apple Account indispensable corroborate if they are implicit 18, and immoderate users nether 18 indispensable articulation a Family Sharing group. Parents and guardians volition besides beryllium required to springiness their consent for users nether 18 to download apps oregon to marque in-app purchases.

Developers volition besides person to marque changes to comply with the law. Apple already offers a Declared Age Range API that developers tin instrumentality to inquire users their wide age, and the API “will beryllium updated successful the coming months to supply the 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 the idiosyncratic to petition that parental consent beryllium re-obtained.”

Utah and Louisiana person passed akin laws, and Apple says that “similar requirements volition travel into effect aboriginal adjacent year” successful those states. Google has besides shared guidance astir however it volition enactment Google Play developers up of the property verification laws going into effect.

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