While legislation regarding parent-child internet safety has been discussed on the federal level for a while, with key advocators like Rep. John James and Sen. Mike Lee, the App Store Accountability Act has only recently been introduced at the state level for Alabama. The bill aims to require age verification for teens under 16 to download apps at the app store in hopes of empowering parents to have more of a say in their children’s phone and app downloads. The goal of this legislation is to cultivate healthy online habits for teens, giving parental rights to those who have better discernment and oversight regarding their children than the government or tech companies.
According to Pew Research, 81 percent of U.S. adults already support requiring parental consent for teens to create a social media account, and more than 79 percent of parents support legislation that would require parental approval for teens under 16 to download apps. Meta’s nationwide survey through Morning Consult proved bipartisan support in favor of a law requiring parental approval for children under 16 to download apps. Even 46 percent of the teens surveyed revealed they are more likely to support social media companies requiring parental consent for minors. This act will help parents monitor what their children do on social media based on their own family values and views in an effort to mitigate the harm of digital platforms on young consumers.
To discover more about different bills and legislation regarding child safety regarding technology and apps, visit nationalreview.com.