Apple to Enforce Age Verification in Texas App Store

Apple will introduce age verification for new users of its App Store in Texas beginning on Thursday, June 4th. This decision follows a federal appeals court ruling that allowed the Texas App Store Accountability Act to take effect while a lawsuit against it is ongoing.

New users will need to verify their age as over 18 using a credit card or government ID. Existing users will not be immediately affected, but the law may change in the future.

Users under 18 must join a Family Sharing group, requiring parental consent for app downloads and in-app purchases. Developers are obligated to provide age-appropriate experiences for users under 18 and can utilize Apple’s Declared Age Range API to verify age ranges.

Apple is also planning to implement similar age verification measures in other regions, including Utah, Louisiana, Brazil, Australia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. The long-term future of the Texas law remains uncertain, as a federal version is progressing through Congress.