As of March 2026, every U.S. state had introduced at least one bill seeking to regulate social media or other digital platforms for people younger than 18. The wave of legislation would be difficult for anyone to keep track of, whether they're a researcher, parent or policymaker. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have built a public database to help.

Washington. – The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments Tuesday (Aug. 4th) on whether Texas can enforce its “App Store Accountability Act” (ASAA) while the case makes its way through the legal system. The law requires anyone in Texas to show government ID or other proof of age before downloading apps. It also requires parental consent for minors to download apps and app content, and compels speech in the form of age-ratings for content.

On July 12th,, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen issued a statement calling for a European Union (EU) wide identity verification system for all social media users. Like many infringements on liberty and privacy, the proposal to force EU residents to verify their identity is being implemented in order to protect the children. The mandatory verification system is necessary to enforce, “age-appropriate restrictions to platforms.”

Kansas parents face a real challenge: helping children navigate a digital world filled with opportunity and serious risks. Kids deserve protection from predators, explicit content, addictive features, and scams. Parents deserve better tools. The question is how to help without creating something akin to a new digital ID system for everyone.

Age verification laws have moved beyond social media and porn. Three US states have passed laws requiring your operating system to collect your age, and Congress is discussing the same at the federal level. One day soon, verification requirements could require you to upload a photo ID to prove you're a legal adult before you can use your computer.

As online safety debates intensify in Congress and across state legislatures, policymakers are increasingly grappling with how to balance privacy, personalization, and the protection of children online. Against this backdrop, the IAPP hosted its Global Privacy Summit 2026, an annual gathering of privacy and AI professionals focused on policy developments and the legal and regulatory implications of emerging technologies.

I’m a father of three, an app developer, and the head of the Developers Alliance. I’m personally and professionally invested in the congressional debate over the best way to prevent kids from accessing inappropriate online content. So my interest was piqued by Aiden Buzzetti’s recent Washington Examiner op-ed championing the App Store Accountability Act.

Laws aimed at protecting minors online are pushing social media companies to verify age more aggressively, and facial age estimation has become one of the most appealing tools for doing that. Platforms must distinguish between children, teenagers, and adults with more certainty, making selfie-based checks and backup ID requests look like practical ways to show compliance.

A federal appellate court recently rejected First Amendment and vagueness challenges to an Ohio parental-consent statute that limits minors’ access to social media platforms “reasonably anticipated to be accessed by children.” The Sixth Circuit’s divided decision in NetChoice v. Yost is an unusual setback for NetChoice, an internet trade association that won a similar battle in June.