Apple users in Texas to face mandatory age verification under new state law

Apple is preparing to roll out new age-verification measures for users in Texas after a legal battle over a controversial state law took a dramatic turn this week.

From June 4, people creating a new Apple Account in Texas will be required to confirm whether they are aged 18 or over. For younger users, additional safeguards will apply, including mandatory parental approval and tighter controls over app downloads and purchases.

The changes stem from Texas Senate Bill 2420 (SB 2420), legislation aimed at strengthening parental oversight of minors' online activity. While the law remains under legal scrutiny, a federal appeals court has temporarily cleared the way for it to take effect, forcing technology companies including Apple and Google to comply.

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New rules for children, parents and app makers

Under the new framework, Apple Accounts belonging to users under the age of 18 must be linked to a Family Sharing group. Parents or guardians will be responsible for approving app downloads, paid purchases and in-app transactions before they can be completed.

The requirements extend beyond Apple itself. App developers operating on the App Store must also introduce systems that comply with the legislation. To support this, Apple has made available new tools, including its Declared Age Range API, which allows developers to identify the appropriate age category for users without collecting more information than necessary.

Developers are expected to enforce age-based restrictions and obtain parental consent before minors can access their apps. They must also seek fresh approval if an application undergoes what the law describes as a "significant change". Determining whether a change is significant enough to require renewed consent will largely be left to the developers themselves.

Parents will also gain the ability to withdraw consent for apps they previously approved for their children, requiring developers to build systems capable of handling such requests. Companies that fail to comply with the law could face civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.

Privacy concerns fuel legal and political fight

The law's arrival follows months of legal challenges and intense lobbying from major technology firms.

Apple first announced plans to support the legislation in late 2025 when it appeared set to come into force at the start of 2026. However, a federal judge in Texas later blocked the measure, arguing that it was likely unconstitutional and could infringe First Amendment protections because of the burdens imposed by mandatory age verification.

That injunction was later put on hold by the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, allowing the law to move forward while the broader legal challenge continues. The court has yet to determine whether the injunction should remain suspended throughout the appeals process, and judges still need to rule on the law's overall constitutionality.

Apple has consistently opposed mandatory age-assurance laws in Texas and elsewhere, arguing that they risk forcing users to hand over sensitive personal information simply to access everyday digital services.

The company has warned that age-verification requirements could result in broader data collection than many consumers expect, even when downloading basic applications such as weather, news or sports apps. Its newly introduced APIs are intended to reduce the amount of personal information shared while still meeting legal requirements.

Apple's concerns reached the highest levels of the company. Reports indicated that chief executive Tim Cook personally urged Texas Governor Greg Abbott to reject the legislation. Abbott nevertheless signed the bill into law.

For now, the law is set to reshape how new users access Apple's ecosystem in Texas, while the wider debate over child safety, privacy rights and the responsibilities of digital platforms continues to play out in the courts.