Meta and Google clash over new child safety law on app downloads
Utah has become the first state to pass a law enforcing Meta’s proposed approach, with other states now considering similar regulations. The legislation is backed by Meta, Snap, and X, who argue it gives parents more control over their children's digital habits.
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Meta and Google are at odds over a new law that changes how children download apps. Meta, alongside Snap and X, supports a regulation that requires parental approval at the app store level before kids can install apps, The Verge reports.
Google, on the other hand, strongly opposes this move, citing privacy risks and concerns about data sharing.
The debate intensified after Utah became the first state to pass a law enforcing this requirement, with other states now considering similar measures.
The law shifts the responsibility of age verification from individual apps to the app stores, such as Google Play and Apple's App Store.
Meta and its allies argue that this approach gives parents more control and ensures a standardized verification process, rather than relying on individual apps to enforce age restrictions.
Google, however, believes that app developers—not app stores, should manage age restrictions. The tech giant warns that the law could force app stores to share children's age data with millions of developers, increasing privacy risks. It advocates for stricter regulations on developers who misuse age data rather than shifting the burden to app marketplaces, the report added.
Apple has also raised concerns, emphasizing the need to minimize personal data collection. This fundamental disagreement highlights a broader question: Who should be responsible for protecting children online—the app stores or the app developers?
