Texas Targets Big Tech with New Child Online Safety Law

In a bold move shaking up Silicon Valley, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed a new online safety law that takes direct aim at tech giants Apple and Google. The legislation, which goes into effect on January 1, will require app stores to verify user age and obtain parental consent for minors before they can download apps or make in-app purchases.

The law is being promoted as a win for child safety, but critics—including Apple—say it could have serious consequences for user privacy. "There are better ways to keep kids safe online without forcing millions of people to hand over their personal information," the company said in a statement.

Google hasn’t responded publicly, but both companies opposed the bill. Reports say Apple CEO Tim Cook even made a personal call to Governor Abbott to try and stop the legislation from moving forward.

What the Law Requires

• App marketplaces must verify the age of all users in Texas.
• Minors need parental approval for app downloads and purchases.
• Applies to all apps, including basic tools like weather or news apps.

Texas isn’t the first to take this route—Utah passed similar legislation earlier this year. With federal efforts like the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) still stalled in Congress, states are taking matters into their own hands.

Interestingly, Apple actually supports KOSA, a bipartisan bill that would require social media companies to design safer platforms for kids. But the company is pushing back hard against state-level laws that place the burden on app marketplaces instead of platforms like Facebook or Instagram.

Meta (formerly Facebook) has long argued that Apple and Google should be the ones verifying user ages, not the social platforms themselves.

Apple says the Texas law could force app stores to collect and store sensitive information for every Texan—even for something as simple as downloading a weather app. That, they argue, creates unnecessary privacy risks for users of all ages.

Earlier this year, Apple introduced its own child safety features, including mandatory age-range settings for new devices and parental consent for users under 13. But the company sees Texas’ law as going too far.

This isn’t Texas’ first run-in with Big Tech. Back in 2021, the state banned social media platforms from removing users based on political views, citing alleged censorship of conservative voices.

As the national conversation about online safety and digital rights intensifies, Texas is making it clear: it’s willing to take on the tech giants—even if it ruffles some Silicon Valley feathers.