Texas passes App Store age verification law, despite Tim Cook's concerns

Texas will now require age verification for use of the iOS App Store, thanks to the state's App Store Accountability Act, which was passed against Apple's wishes.Texas's App Store Accountability Act has been signed into law, despite Apple's wishes.On Tuesday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law an act that requires Apple and Google to verify the ages of App Store users. If a user is under the age of 18, their account must be linked to a parent or guardian, who would then have to approve each app download.Apple's attempts to argue against the bill, which included a phone call from Apple CEO Tim Cook to Governor Abbott, have seemingly failed. As noted by Reuters, Texas' App Store Accountability will take effect on January 1, 2026. A similar bill in Utah has already passed and took effect on May 7, 2025. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums