U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) today announced the endorsement by Pinterest for his App Store Accountability Act. The social media giant voiced support for Lee’s protections for children online, including age verification requirements in app stores and tools for parents to protect their children from harmful content online. Representative John James (R-MI) introduced the companion bill in the House of Representatives.
“I’m glad that Pinterest is stepping up to protect kids and put parents in charge by supporting the App Store Accountability Act,” said Senator Mike Lee. “App stores need reliable age verification, parental controls, and safeguards against exploitation demanded by concerned parents across America. With the help of Pinterest, we’re one step closer to protecting children online.”
“Pinterest is proud to endorse the App Store Accountability Act. Parents need a single, privacy-preserving solution to verify their child’s age and know they’re safe online. Making the app store a one-stop shop for age verification ensures children are protected from the moment they start using a device. We urge Congress to pass this important law.” – Bill Ready, CEO, Pinterest
Pinterest joins Meta, Instagram, and Snapchat in calling for stronger protections for children’s online safety. The App Store Accountability Act empowers parents as decision-makers for their children’s online safety and holds app stores responsible for providing safeguards. The legislation requires app stores and developers to require parental approval for app downloads and provide accurate age ratings for apps. The bill also prohibits any selling or sharing of sensitive data or any act that would restrict freedom of speech.
Support for increased parental empowerment online is widespread and bipartisan. Recent polling shows 88% of parents support requiring app stores to obtain parental approval for minors to download apps, and 68% agree that granting approval through app stores would be the easiest way to provide their consent. 101 advocate organizations for children’s online safety endorsed the App Store Accountability Act in a letter of support led by the Digital Childhood Alliance. The letter can be read here.
The App Store Accountability Act empowers parents to protect their children online by:
- Requiring app stores to utilize privacy-protecting age verification methods, and link minor-owned accounts to a parental account—allowing parents to give consent before the minor makes downloads or purchases.
- Providing a safe harbor for compliant app stores: Platforms can meet minimum standards by offering tools like secure age verification, parental oversight, and accurate app age ratings.
- Requiring transparency and oversight: Annual certifications and a complaint mechanism will ensure tools are effective and loopholes are closed.
- Prohibiting data exploitation: The sale of age-related data collected for verification will be strictly prohibited.
