App Association Maps 'Fragmented Patchwork' of Age-Verification Laws
Every state developing an age-verification law would make things “confusing” and “unsustainable” for small tech companies, ACT | The App Association said in a guide published Monday.
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“This fragmented patchwork means higher compliance costs, conflicting technical requirements, and increased exposure to liability,” said ACT. “It also risks creating direct conflicts with federal law,” especially COPPA. “Most importantly, these laws often fail to protect the very children they’re designed to help, forcing developers to collect and store even more personal information, which increases, rather than reduces, the risk of data misuse or exposure.”
In addition to listing states with age-verification laws, ACT’s directory highlights several states with legislation to watch, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina and South Dakota. “Most proposals mirror the Texas or Utah approach,” which targeted app stores, “but differ in scope, enforcement, and definitions of covered platforms,” the app association added.