APPLE ROLLS OUT AGE VERIFICATION IN TEXAS

Texas residents creating new Apple accounts will need to verify they are 18 or older using a credit card, government ID, or through parental consent. The requirement stems from SB 2420, the App Store Accountability Act, which the state passed to impose age assurance requirements on app marketplaces and developers. Apple may also automatically verify user age based on account history and other factors, according to the company's announcement. The implementation comes just days after a federal appeals court allowed the law to take effect while litigation against it continues. SB 2420 represents one of the most aggressive state-level attempts to regulate app stores and digital services. The law targets how platforms distribute apps and enforce content restrictions, with particular emphasis on protecting minors. Apple has faced similar regulatory pressures across multiple jurisdictions. The company has actively challenged various app store regulations through legal channels, including the Texas law currently being litigated. By implementing age verification now rather than waiting for the legal process to conclude, Apple is complying with the court's interim ruling. The rollout affects only new account creation in Texas. Existing Apple Account holders will not be required to re-verify their age at this time, though the company may apply automatic verification methods to their accounts. This marks the first major implementation of age verification requirements by Apple in response to state-level legislation. How the company adapts its policies across other states considering similar laws remains a key question for the tech industry. The Texas deployment will likely serve as a test case for Apple's technical and operational capacity to implement age assurance systems at scale.