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Texas Nears Landmark Legislation on App Store Age Verification, Spotlighting National Tech Regulation Debate | PYMNTS.com

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Texas Nears Landmark Legislation on App Store Age Verification, Spotlighting National Tech Regulation Debate | PYMNTS.com


Texas is poised to pass a groundbreaking law requiring app store operators, including tech giants Apple and Google, to verify the ages of users and secure parental consent for minors, a move that could reshape how young people access digital content. According to Reuters, Senate Bill 2420 has cleared both chambers of the Texas legislature with overwhelming support and now awaits Governor Greg Abbott’s signature.

The legislation mandates that app marketplaces confirm the age of users accessing their platforms. If a user is under 18, the bill would require parental approval before apps can be downloaded or in-app purchases made. As Reuters notes, this makes Texas the latest—and largest—U.S. state to wade into the national debate on smartphone regulation for children, following similar action in Utah earlier this year.

While the bill targets app distribution, it has sparked broader concerns within the tech industry, particularly among the companies tasked with enforcing its provisions. Apple and Google have criticized the proposed law, arguing that it would require the collection of personal data even for innocuous apps, such as those offering weather updates or sports scores. “If enacted, app marketplaces will be required to collect and keep sensitive personal identifying information for every Texan who wants to download an app,” Apple said in a statement.

According to Reuters, both tech companies have floated alternative solutions that would limit data sharing only to applications that explicitly require age-based restrictions. Kareem Ghanem, a senior director at Google, acknowledged a role for legislation but emphasized the need for thoughtful implementation. “It’s just got to be done in the right way,” Ghanem told Reuters, adding that enforcement should also target social media platforms like those owned by Meta, which have faced increased scrutiny for their impact on minors.

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Read more: Fortnite Returns to Apple’s U.S. App Store After Five-Year Ban

Indeed, concern over the mental health effects of social media on youth has escalated in recent years. Per Reuters, more than 40 U.S. states have filed lawsuits against Meta, and the U.S. Surgeon General has issued advisories warning about the risks posed to children’s well-being. Globally, countries like Australia and Norway are also contemplating or have enacted legislation banning social media access for younger users.

The Texas bill aligns with a broader public sentiment in favor of stronger child online protections. A 2023 Pew Research Center poll found that 81% of Americans support requiring parental consent for children to open social media accounts, while 71% endorse mandatory age verification for access.

Supporters of the Texas legislation argue that the onus should fall on app stores to manage age restrictions. “The problem is that self-regulation in the digital marketplace has failed, where app stores have just prioritized the profit over safety and rights of children and families,” said Casey Stefanski, executive director of the Digital Childhood Alliance, in a statement to Reuters.

Notably, another proposal still under consideration in the Texas legislature would ban social media usage for anyone under 18, a move that, if passed, could further intensify the national conversation around youth internet access and digital responsibility.

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Source: Reuters



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Texas sues Netflix for allegedly spying on kids, addicting users

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Texas sues Netflix for allegedly spying on kids, addicting users


Netflix was sued Monday (May 11) by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who accused the streaming company of spying on children and other consumers by collecting their data without consent, and designing its platform to be addictive. Ram Nabong reports.



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Texas sues Netflix, alleges platform spied on kids and collected data

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Texas sues Netflix, alleges platform spied on kids and collected data


The state of Texas announced a lawsuit against streaming giant Netflix on Monday, accusing the company of spying on children and other consumers by collecting their data without consent and designing the platform to be addictive.

Texas claims that Netflix has falsely represented to consumers that it didn’t collect or share user data while it actually tracked and sold viewers’ habits and preferences to commercial data brokers and advertising technology companies.

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The lawsuit, filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, claims that “Netflix’s endgame is simple and lucrative: get children and families glued to the screen, harvest their data while they are stuck there, and then monetize the data for a handsome profit.”

The state of Texas announced a lawsuit against streaming giant Netflix on Monday. (Nikos Pekiaridis/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“When you watch Netflix, Netflix watched you,” Texas added in the lawsuit.

NETFLIX CO-FOUNDER REED HASTINGS TO STEP DOWN, DEPARTURE IS ‘SPOOKING INVESTORS’

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The complaint quotes comments made by former CEO Reed Hastings who said in 2020, while he was still leading the streaming company, that “we don’t collect anything,” amid questions over Big Tech companies’ data collection practices.

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Netflix was also accused of quietly using “dark patterns” to keep users watching on its platform, such as an autoplay feature that starts a new show after a different show ends.

NETFLIX RAISES SUBSCRIPTION PRICES ACROSS ALL PLANS

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the lawsuit. (Cheney Orr/Reuters)

Paxton said in a press release that Netflix “has built a surveillance program designed to illegally collect and profit from Texans’ personal data without their consent, and my office will do everything in our power to stop it.”

The attorney general said he’s charging Netflix under the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act and seeks to require Netflix to stop the unlawful collection and disclosure of user data, require Netflix to disable autoplay by default on kid’s profiles, and to secure injunctive relief and civil penalties.

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FOX Business reached out to Netflix for comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.



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6 people found dead inside a boxcar in Texas, officials say | CNN

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6 people found dead inside a boxcar in Texas, officials say | CNN


Six people were found dead inside a cargo train boxcar in a Texas city along the southern border on Sunday, officials said.

The bodies were found in a Union Pacific train at a rail yard in Laredo, around 160 miles south of San Antonio, just after 3:30 p.m. local time, said Jose Espinoza, a public information officer with the Laredo Police Department.

The circumstances of their deaths are unknown, said Laredo police spokesperson Joe Baeza, according to CNN affiliate KGNS, and an investigation is underway.

Union Pacific operates across the border and is the only railroad that services all access points into Mexico, according to the freight company’s website.

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Temperatures on Sunday afternoon in Laredo were in the low-mid 90s, though it’s unclear whether heat was a factor.

Union Pacific said it was saddened by the incident and is working closely with law enforcement to investigate.

Laredo police said they received a call around 3 p.m. from an employee at the Union Pacific rail yard, KGNS reported. The bodies were discovered during a routine rail car inspection, police said. No survivors were found.

CNN has reached out to Laredo police for more information.

“It’s a very early phase of the investigation. There’s not a lot to reveal right now,” Baeza said, KGNS reported.

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The immigration status and ages of the deceased are not yet known, Espinoza said.

US Customs and Border Protection referred CNN to the Laredo Police Department, saying “The incident remains under investigation by Laredo Police Department and Homeland Security Investigation and Texas Rangers.”

CNN has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, HSI and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

“It’s a very unfortunate event,” Espinoza told CNN. “It was too many lives that were lost.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

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