• Texas enacts a bill requiring Apple and Google to verify app store users' ages.
• Minors must obtain parental consent to download apps or make purchases.
• Over 80% of Americans support parental controls for social media usage.
• Tech companies criticize the law for potential privacy violations.
• The law takes effect January 1, 2026, following similar measures in Utah.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed a significant online child safety bill that mandates Apple and Google to verify the age of app store users. Under Senate Bill 2420, those under 18 will be required to obtain parental consent before downloading apps or making in-app purchases. This legislation puts Texas at the forefront of a nationwide debate regarding giving parents more control over children's smartphone use, following Utah as the first state to adopt a similar law earlier this year, according to Channel News Asia and Reuters.

The law, effective January 1, 2026, comes amidst growing concerns about the mental health effects of social media on children. A Pew Research poll indicated that 81% of Americans favor requiring parental consent for children creating social media accounts, and 71% support age verification for social media use, as highlighted by India Times and New York Times.

While social media companies like Meta have applauded the bill, asserting it helps streamline age verification for parents, Apple and Google have raised concerns about privacy. They argue that the law would necessitate collecting sensitive personal identifying information for all users, including for non-controversial apps such as those providing weather updates. "We believe there are better proposals that help keep kids safe without requiring millions to turn over personal information," stated an Apple spokesperson, as reported by BBC and Newsweek.

This tension highlights a broader struggle between state legislation and the tech industry. As Congress also seeks to enact its own reforms through the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), the fate of similar state laws could set a precedent for future regulations on tech companies. Texas's decisive action comes in response to rising pressures over digital safety and suggests that more states may soon follow suit, according to Al Jazeera and Channel News Asia.