Social media platform Pinterest has thrown its support behind federal legislation that would require teenagers to obtain parental approval before downloading applications, marking a significant endorsement for Utah Senator Mike Lee’s child safety initiative.
The App Store Accountability Act, introduced by Senator Mike Lee, received backing from Pinterest CEO Bill Ready on Monday, who characterized the proposal as essential for protecting young users in digital environments.
Privacy-Focused Age Verification Approach
Ready emphasized the legislation’s importance in establishing comprehensive parental oversight mechanisms for children’s online activities. The bill would mandate app stores implement age verification systems before users can download specific applications.
“Parents require a unified, privacy-protecting solution to verify their child’s age and ensure their online safety,” Ready stated. “Establishing the app store as a centralized location for age verification protects children from their initial device usage. We strongly encourage Congress to approve this critical legislation.”
Under the proposed framework, applications would require accounts operated by minors to connect with parental accounts. Parents would need to provide explicit consent before apps could be downloaded to their child’s device.
Comprehensive Standards for Digital Marketplaces
The legislation establishes baseline requirements that app stores must satisfy, encompassing age verification technology, parental supervision tools, and precise app age classifications. Digital marketplaces would undergo annual certification procedures to confirm regulatory compliance and eliminate potential loopholes.
Senator Lee welcomed Pinterest’s endorsement as a meaningful step toward enhanced child protection online.
“I’m pleased that Pinterest is stepping forward to protect children and empower parents by supporting the App Store Accountability Act,” Lee said. “App stores need dependable age verification, parental controls, and protections against exploitation that concerned parents nationwide are demanding. With Pinterest’s assistance, we’re moving closer to safeguarding children online.”
Building on Utah’s Groundbreaking Legislation
Lee’s federal proposal closely resembles legislation enacted in Utah earlier this year imposing stricter social media protections for minors. Utah’s law prohibits users under 18 from downloading apps or making in-app purchases without parental approval or age verification.
That state law became effective in May, though certain compliance requirements and additional provisions won’t activate until next year. Lee’s bill would extend these protections nationwide, already gaining support from national advocacy organizations including the Digital Childhood Alliance.
Congressional Focus on Child Online Safety
The legislation arrives as lawmakers from across the political spectrum pursue solutions for protecting children from online dangers. The House Energy and Commerce Committee scheduled a Tuesday hearing to examine proposals strengthening regulations for users under 18, including the App Store Accountability Act among other measures.
Congressional members will also evaluate the Kids Online Safety Act, comprehensive legislation updating social media platform regulations that govern company operations.
KOSA currently has more than 40 bipartisan co-sponsors in the Senate alone. The bill would mandate platforms establish safeguards protecting users under 17. While carving out specific exceptions, it would apply to video games, online messaging platforms, video streaming services, and other digital platforms.
The legislation would generally require social media applications to exercise reasonable care in design features that typically cause teenagers to develop addictive patterns with online sites. Companies would need to satisfy certain requirements before implementing algorithms that select, order, or prioritize information presented to users based on user-specific data.
Debate Over Comprehensive Approaches
Some lawmakers, including Lee, express concerns that KOSA doesn’t provide adequate child protection online, prompting the additional introduction of the App Store Accountability Act.
Lee told The Verge that KOSA fails to address some of the most significant threats to children online and potentially creates opportunities for what could evolve into political censorship by federal authorities.
The Energy and Commerce Committee will mark up the bills during its Tuesday hearing, after which proposals could advance to the floor for votes if they receive overwhelming bipartisan support.
Industry Shifts Toward Child Safety
Pinterest’s endorsement represents a notable shift in how technology companies approach child safety regulations. While many platforms have historically resisted government oversight, Pinterest’s support suggests growing recognition within the industry that parental controls and age verification serve legitimate purposes.
The debate surrounding these proposals reflects broader tensions between innovation, parental rights, government regulation, and corporate responsibility in digital spaces. As technology continues evolving rapidly, policymakers face ongoing challenges balancing competing interests while prioritizing child welfare.
With Pinterest joining the coalition supporting enhanced protections and Senator Lee pushing for comprehensive federal standards, the legislation represents a potential turning point in how the United States approaches child safety in digital marketplaces.
The coming months will reveal whether this momentum translates into enacted legislation that fundamentally changes how young people access and interact with applications on their devices.
