LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) – Accessing the App Store may soon become difficult for teens, thanks to a bill authored by a Michigan lawmaker.
Big picture view:
Currently, anyone can log on to the App Store and download apps at any time. Meanwhile, Congressman John James believes that this should not always be the case, especially for those under 18.
The bill, called the “App Store Accountability Act,” specifically aims to:
- Require age verification for the App Store
- Require parental consent for users under 18 years old
- Link devices of users under 18 to a parent or guardian
Dig deeper:
James says the bill is designed to ensure that kids don’t have access to age-restricted material online. It is meant to give parents more control over what their children view and to hold streaming apps accountable.
“It’s very simple. It’s basically holding the App Store, big tech, accountable to the same rules and regulations that we expect our corner stores to follow, our mom-and-pop stores to follow,” James said. “I believe that kids cannot consent, and parents have a right to know. I believe that our kids should not be engaged with or buy adult or addictive material in the physical world or in the online world. Our social media has become a cesspool of solicitation, in many cases hate, things that our children aren’t ready for and certainly our parents should be aware of. This bill, the App Store Accountability Act, that I’m leading is going to be another step in the right direction for parental rights and protecting our kids.”
He has introduced this bill a few times in the past, and now he says it’s gaining traction.
