"For years, lawmakers at the state and federal levels have tried a variety of measures aimed at making kids safer on the internet, from kids-tailored design standards to age verification for individual websites. More recently, a new model has caught on in the states, and now it's gaining steam in Congress: putting the onus on app stores nationwide. The new approach to age verification orders mobile app stores to verify users' ages, then send that information to apps when users download them."
"The bill is set to be discussed in a hearing before a powerful House committee that's considering the large package of kids online safety bills. It comes just as the bill has picked up a new industry supporter, Pinterest. Companies like Meta, Snap, and X have also expressed broad support for the app store approach and applauded the federal bill when it was introduced."
State and federal policymakers have pursued various measures to protect children online, including design standards and site-specific age checks. A newer approach requires mobile app stores to verify users' ages and transmit that verification to apps at download. Utah enacted the first such law earlier this year, and several other states followed. The App Store Accountability Act (ASA) applies the model at the federal level and was introduced by Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. John James as part of a broader kids safety package. The ASA is scheduled for discussion in a House committee hearing, and major platforms have signaled support.
Read at The Verge
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