How this new law for Google and Apple may make Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg ‘happy’

and Apple will be required to implement age verification for app downloads in the US state of Utah, following the enactment of a new law, set to take effect in May. The legislation essentially shifts the responsibility for verifying children's ages from app publishers to app store operators like Google Play Store and Apple's App Store. The move is likely to offer some relief to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who has previously argued that app store providers should handle parental consent systems for children’s use of social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
According to a report by news agency AFP, the law directly impacts Google and Apple's app distribution practices, mandating that they ensure users are at least 13 years old before accessing social networking apps. While US law stipulates this age restriction for social media use, app stores have historically maintained that age verification falls outside their purview.
The legislation comes amidst growing concerns about the protection of young users on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which are frequently criticised for failing to shield children from online bullying, addiction and harmful content.

Social media giants Meta, Snapchat, and X have expressed support for the Utah law. In a joint statement, they praised governor Spencer Cox.
“We applaud Governor Cox and the state of Utah for being the first in the nation to empower parents and users with greater control over teen app downloads, and urge other states to consider this groundbreaking approach,” the statement said, as per AFP.
“Parents want a one-stop-shop to oversee and approve the many apps their teens want to download, and Utah has led the way in centralizing it within a device’s app store,” they added.
However, the tech industry trade group Chamber of Progress, largely funded by Google, Apple and European arm of Meta, has raised concerns about the law's potential impact on user privacy.
“The legislation is almost certain to spark another legal battle over speech and privacy concerns, similar to the one that struck down a similar age verification law in Utah last year,” said the organisation.
“Utah will now have to burn even more time and resources defending this ill-fated proposal in court instead of actually working to make the internet safer for all,” added Robert Singleton, one of the chamber’s directors.

Last year, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, along with other tech executives, faced tough questioning before the US Senate during a congressional hearing on online safety. He argued that app store providers like Apple and Google—not social media companies like Meta—should be responsible for managing parental consent systems for children's use of platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.
“I don’t think parents should have to upload an ID to prove that they’re the parent of a child in every single app that their children use,” he said.
He specifically criticised Apple, highlighting its payments system, which requires parental approval for in-app purchases.
“And a place where it’d be actually very easy for it to work is within the app stores themselves—where my understanding is Apple and Google already—or at least Apple already—requires parental consent when a child does a payment with an app,” he explained.
Zuckerberg argued that if Apple can regulate payments across iOS apps, it should also be able to handle parental consent for app downloads and usage.