Texas Governor Signs Off on App Store Law Against Tim Cook's Wishes

Texas Governor Greg Abbott contiguous signed into instrumentality the App Store Accountability Act, which volition necessitate Apple and Google to verify the property of App Store and Play Store users, respectively. The instrumentality volition necessitate users who are nether the property of 18 to person parental consent to download apps oregon marque in-app purchases, according to Reuters.


Apple CEO Tim Cook had reportedly asked Abbott to veto the authorities connected a telephone call, but evidently his effort was unsuccessful.

The measure had already passed some the Senate and House of Representatives successful Texas, and present that it has been signed by Abbott, it volition instrumentality effect connected January 1, 2026. Texas is the 2nd U.S. authorities to walk a kid information instrumentality of this kind, pursuing Utah successful March. Utah's instrumentality took effect earlier this month, but it volition not beryllium afloat enforced until adjacent year.

Apple already announced several caller kid information measures successful February, aft these bills were proposed. While mounting up an iPhone oregon iPad moving iOS 18.4 oregon iPadOS 18.4 oregon later, the idiosyncratic who volition beryllium utilizing the instrumentality indispensable prime their property range, with the disposable options including 12 oregon younger, 13 to 18, and 19 oregon older. If the relationship is for a kid nether the property of 13, determination is simply a Connect to Family option. A genitor needs to supply consent for a kid to usage the ‌App Store‌ and different features, with Face ID oregon Touch ID authentication required.

It remains to beryllium seen if Apple's expanded age-verification measures volition beryllium capable to afloat fulfill the laws successful Texas and Utah, and others that whitethorn follow.

Apple and Google some opposed these property verification laws, citing privateness concerns related to having to cod property accusation for each users.

"If enacted, app marketplaces volition beryllium required to cod and support delicate idiosyncratic identifying accusation for each Texan who wants to download an app, adjacent if it's an app that simply provides upwind updates oregon sports scores," said Apple.
This article, "Texas Governor Signs Off connected App Store Law Against Tim Cook's Wishes" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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