In a continued effort to protect children online, Republican lawmakers introduced the App Store Accountability Act this week—a federal Republican bill focused on app store age verification and parental oversight in digital purchases.
U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) and U.S. Representative John James (R-Mich.) unveiled the legislation on May 1, aiming to hold Big Tech accountable by mandating that app stores verify users’ ages through privacy-respecting methods and obtain parental consent before allowing minors to download apps or make in-app purchases.
“This is about putting parents back in control,” said Senator Lee. “Our Republican bill ensures app store age verification is not optional, and protects minors from the dangers of adult content, predatory interactions, and manipulative digital tools.”
The proposed federal legislation mirrors Utah’s recently enacted S.B. 142, signed by Governor Spencer Cox, and would require:
-
Commercially reliable age verification at the account sign-up stage,
-
Connection of minor accounts to verified parent accounts for permissions,
-
A strict prohibition on the sale of any age-related data collected,
-
Clear mechanisms for parents to file complaints through the Federal Trade Commission.
In an op-ed published in The Hill, Senator Lee emphasized the urgency:
