Apple is preparing to comply with Texas’ age insurance law, but warns of privacy risks

Apple on Thursday shared how it is making changes to comply with Texas law, SB2420, which introduces lifetime warranty requirements for app stores and app developers.

Although Apple already Introduced its own lifetime warranty technology And tools Earlier this year in anticipation of a regulatory crackdown, the tech giant overturned a Texas law over privacy concerns.

In an announcement to developers, Apple explains, “…We are concerned that SB2420 impacts users’ privacy by requiring the collection of sensitive and personal information to download any app, even if the user simply wants to check the weather or sports scores.”

The Texas law is one of several laws taking effect in the United States, due to the failure of lawmakers and the federal government to create comprehensive internet regulations to protect minors online. As a result, countries create their own laws with similar intentions, but different ways of implementing them.

A tech giant like Apple has the resources to comply with such laws, but small developers won’t, without the tools Apple provides. Other small startups are affected by these laws as well. For example, social networking startup Bluesky had to do this Block its service In Mississippi, the company said it did not have the resources to comply with the law.

When the law goes into effect on January 1, 2026, Apple will be required to confirm whether Texas users are 18 or older, and people under 18 will be required to join the Family Sharing Groupmanaged by parents or guardians. Parents and guardians will need to provide consent for all downloads, purchases and transactions of the minor on the App Store, using Apple’s existing in-app purchasing system.

To comply with the law, Apple said it would help developers determine age “in a privacy-preserving way.” Currently, developers can use Declared age group APIwhich will be updated before the law goes into effect to provide age ranges for new account users in Texas.

Additionally, Apple will roll out new APIs later this year that will allow developers to obtain parental consent if they make major changes to their apps that may require a different age rating. Parents will also be able to revoke consent after giving it, if they decide the app is not appropriate for their child. (Although we can imagine this being used as a new punishment tactic; no Instagram for a month!)

Apple has warned developers that similar laws will go into effect in Utah and Louisiana later this year, so they need to prepare.