Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed legislation requiring age verification on app stores operated by Apple and Google. Beginning January 1, 2026, users in Texas will be required to prove their age before downloading apps, and minors will need parental consent for downloads and in-app purchases, according to BBC.

The law intends to promote online child safety, but it has drawn criticism from tech companies.  Apple opposes the bill, claiming that it may jeopardize user privacy by forcing the collection of sensitive data from all users, not just minors. Google has not made any public comments.

Texas follows Utah in enacting similar laws, but federal measures such as the Kids Online Safety Act stay stalled in Congress. States are increasingly taking on their own responsibility to regulate online safety, BBC reported.