Age verification laws do far more than ‘protect children online’—they require the creation of a system that collects vast amounts of personal information from everyone. Instead of making the internet safer for children, these laws force all users—regardless of age—to verify their identity just to access basic content or products. This isn't a mistake; it's a deliberate strategy.
This centralized approach would establish a single point of failure for sensitive personal data, making it an attractive target for malicious actors. Moreover, storing verification data at the app store level would make personal information potentially accessible across all downloaded applications, vastly increasing the risk of data breaches and misuse.
The CEO called Texas Gov. Greg Abbott last week to ask for changes to the legislation or, failing that, for a veto, according to people familiar with the call. These people said that the conversation was cordial and that it made clear the extent of Apple’s interest in stopping the bill.
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Proponents argue that such laws will give parents more control over their children’s use of smartphones, and that children aren’t legally allowed to agree to apps’ terms of service in the first place.
Critics say such a law could impose costs on a swath of apps whose content isn’t controversial. They also say the bills are allowing Meta and other apps to shunt responsibility for online safety onto others.
They promote App Store security system, the iPhone’s Ceramic Shield toughness, the relatively new Stolen Device Protection feature, and Find My as a parental control tool.
Apple has officially expanded its Maps service in Malaysia, adding support for public transit directions in major cities. Starting today, users can now plan journeys across Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor Bahru using a range of transport options including buses, light rail, monorail, ferries, and national rail.
With the age-verification requirement imposed on platforms with app stores, instead on the actual websites and apps, the obvious path I see we are going down is that platforms without age verifications will be banned or restricted.
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