Apple has outlined changes to the App Store for users and developers located in Texas to comply with the state’s App Store Accountability Act.
Beginning January 1, 2026, a new state law in Texas — SB2420 — introduces age assurance requirements for app marketplaces and developers. Apple says that “while we share the goal of strengthening kids’ online safety, we are concerned that SB2420 impacts the privacy of users by requiring the collection of sensitive, personally identifiable information to download any app, even if a user simply wants to check the weather or sports scores.” The tech giant says it will continue to provide parents and developers with industry-leading tools that help enhance child safety while safeguarding privacy within the constraints of the law.
Apple says that to assist developers in meeting their obligations in a privacy-preserving way, it will introduce capabilities to help them obtain users’ age categories and manage significant changes as required by Texas state law. The Declared Age Range application programming interface (API) is available to implement now, and will be updated in the coming months to provide the required age categories for new account users in Texas.
What’s more, new APIs launching later this year will enable developers, when they determine a significant change is made to their app, to invoke a system experience to allow the user to request that parental consent be re-obtained, according to Apple. Additionally, parents will be able to revoke consent for a minor continuing to use an app. Apple says it will release more details, including additional technical documentation, later this fall.
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Article provided with permission from AppleWorld.Today
