Apple voices concerns over age-check law that could put user privacy at risk

Apple has raised concerns about Texas SB 2420, a law that introduces age assurance requirements for app stores and developers, with Apple stating that it “impacts the privacy of users by requiring the collection of sensitive, personally identifiable information” to download apps even for simple tasks. From 1 January 2026, new Apple accounts will require users to confirm they are over 18, and those under 18 must join a Family Sharing group with parental consent to download or buy apps or make in‑app purchases.

The proposed framework would push companies to collect, store, and manage sensitive data such as government IDs or parental authority details, with greater data being stored increasing the impact if a breach occurs, according to the article. The piece notes that individual states are introducing their own minors-protection laws, with Utah and Louisiana expected to follow, and Malwarebytes says regulators should be aware of the privacy risks inherent in increased age verification mandates.

It also highlights a Discord breach where a third‑party verifier handling ages exposed around 70,000 government ID images and up to 5.5 million unique users’ data from Zendesk, a scenario the article frames as illustrating why tighter age checks raise security concerns. According to Apple, regulators should consider only applying age verification where genuinely needed.