Apple and Google will have to add age verification to use their app stores.
Texas and Utah passed laws that will require Apple and Google to add age verification to their app stores. This is meant to protect kids from apps with inappropriate content. Apple and Google are both not happy about having to do this and talk about the decreased privacy their users will experience in these states. Seems like at least at first it will apply to new accounts created in the state. There is also interest among members of Congress to bring this nationwide. Laws go into effect on January 1, 2026.
Summary by me
When it comes to using almost any new software, you will have to disclose your real life identity. Basically you can’t download apps without providing ID, and would effectively be contained to the stock apps on your phone.
So you lose privacy for wanting to access privacy preserving apps in the app stores, or you lose privacy by staying out of the app store and having to use apps like Chrome and such.
Furthermore, if you wanted to use a VPN to avoid this law, you couldn’t download the VPN app before providing your ID, so you would have to set up a VPN at the network level or literally leave your state to set up your phone without providing an ID.
Man, the dystopia really is closing in, huh? At the same time, it tells me that because things can get worse that I have to fight even harder right now. Makes things more urgent.
The US is moving in a dangerous direction with this. I hope more states fight these age verification proposals. Something federal would be devastating.
With all the mishaps that happened lately (Discord leaks being one), I’m surprised all these laws haven’t at the very least been put on hold for some time.
Which again, demonstrates this has nothing to do with protecting children…
Henry, there are already 25+ US states that have essentially digital ID laws, but California happened to have started this trend, and other states followed.
I think it’s important we don’t get confused with all the bad stuff being pushed at the same time…
These are actually three completely separate Texas laws/policies:
1. HB 1181 (Adult Content Websites), June 2025
This law only applies to pornography and adult content websites where more than one-third of content is “sexual material harmful to minors” (ondato.com / scotusblog.com) Users must verify they’re 18+ before accessing those specific adult sites. The Supreme Court even ruled that “adults have no First Amendment right to avoid age verification” (hunton.com) California has nothing like this.
You can view a map of states that have similar laws here:
2. SB 2420 (App Store Verification) Jan 2026 (what OP posted)
This is the VERY bad law that requires Apple and Google to add age verification for downloading ANY app from their app stores. This includes weather, sports, news, or privacy apps (chron.com) Similar laws will also take effect in Utah and Louisiana in 2026. Not California. (hopefully never)
3. Digital ID Programs (what @Neigdoig you’re referring to)
This is a third separate issue state mobile driver’s license programs. ~17 states have operational digital IDs, including California. This isn’t age verification law, it’s about digitizing government-issued IDs for things like TSA checkpoints. And frankly I don’t have an inherent issue with this if things are stored locally on device with solid security. This is no different than something like Apple Pay.
You can see who participates here:
Just want to be clear these are all completely different laws with different implications for privacy and daily use.
Can you expand on this? What trend did they start?
When it comes to any trend, it’s said that whatever California does, other states follow, no matter the political or philosophical affiliation for a particular state. The mDL programs in said 17 states have raised concerns about mandatory digital IDs eventually coming to those states, and California obviously had a lot of sway in that.
HB 1181 is a 4A violation waiting to happen, which confirms that nobody should have an “unreasonable search and seizure” of anything that they bought and paid for without a reasonable suspicion and a warrant. The Supreme Court’s ruling on age verification being unavoidable was due to attempting to weasel out of 4A violations, which should have been covered if they weren’t already.
SB 2420 in Texas can be said the same as with HB 1181, as that’s once again a 4A violation waiting to happen. Google and Apple both call this out, but they may secretly want it in some form for them soon.
As long as the security updates are delivered, I do not have much need for the Google Play Store.
If I buy a new Android device, provide a new email alias, answer no or disable all the anti-features, install F-Droid for the few apps I want, and never use the Google Play Store, would this work?
If the Play Store is unavailable to me because I refused to provide my age, would the native apps update themselves on the regular weekly/monthly basis?
I think we will need to follow what the implementation looks like in the coming months. It seems like we got just the initial announcement and not implementation details.
My guess is that you’re right except for in two areas.
I don’t know if Google Play will run and manage updates if you don’t verify your age.
I don’t know if FDroid will also have to comply with this law.
