Apple has recently announced that it will comply with Texas' state law, which requires the App Store and similar platforms to verify the users' age and obtain consent from parents and legal guardians for those under 18.
Initially, Apple spoke up against the bill that reached Texas Governor Greg Abbott's office, which the state head ignored as he signed the bill into law last May.
Apple App Store Begins Age Verification in Texas
Apple announced on its developer website that it will now begin compliance with Texas's mandatory age verification requirements for app marketplaces operating in the state, which affects its App Store.
It was revealed by Apple that this will apply to new Apple accounts that will be created within the state, as demanded by the law, and parents may revoke their consent for previous downloads.
According to the Cupertino tech giant, the law will take effect on the App Store starting Thursday, June 4, and the company has advised all developers to adhere to the changes on the start date.
Their latest announcement is a follow-up to Apple's previous announcement, which also talked about compliance with the law but was delayed by the company due to a federal judge, Robert Pitman.
According to 9to5Mac, Judge Pitman has previously issued a stay against Texas's SB 2420 law that supposedly took effect on January 1, claiming that the law was "more likely than not unconstitutional."
Despite pushing back, Apple had reportedly released the APIs and sandbox tools for developers in order to comply with the said law but paused its implementation following the judge's interference.
Apple Complies Despite Protesting Against It
Apple has actively protested against Texas's law, and the company did so way back when it was still a bill that was making it out of the state senate floor.
The company had previously criticized the bill, and it was revealed in reports that the company held massive lobbying campaigns against it to potentially have it thrown out.
Apple CEO Tim Cook previously made personal calls directly to Governor Abbott and urged him to veto the bill.
However, as is evident now, Apple did not succeed in having it thrown out or removed from the state, as it was signed and enacted into law.
Now, Apple is advising developers to review the documentation it previously released and is re-releasing for the implementation and compliance with the Texas law.
Originally published on Tech Times
