Utah lawmakers have moved forward with a bill that would require digital app stores to verify the ages of users, aiming to prevent minors from accessing harmful content and entering into contracts without parental consent.

The App Store Accountability Act (SB142), introduced by Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, passed the Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy and Technology Committee on Tuesday and is now moving to the Senate floor for further debate.

The bill would mandate that app stores such as Apple’s App Store and Google Play implement an age verification system, sorting users into age groups: under 13, 13-15, 16-17, and adults. If passed, minors in Utah attempting to download an app or make in-app purchases would first need parental approval and be linked to a parent’s account.

Weiler likened app privacy agreements to car rental contracts, arguing that parents should have greater control over what their children access online.

“You would never let your child or your grandchild enter into a legally binding contract, and yet, we parents are doing this every day by allowing our children to carry around smartphones with apps that can be easily downloaded,” Weiler said.

Supporters of the bill say it would empower parents by ensuring children cannot accept terms of service or unknowingly expose themselves to apps that collect personal data.

Rachel Williams, a 16-year-old who testified in favor of the bill, said her parents monitor her phone use, which she believes is beneficial.

“Unlike other kids, I don’t mind. It keeps me safe,” she told the committee.

Critics, however, argue that the bill could lead to excessive data collection and constitutional challenges.

David McGarry, a representative of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, warned that mandatory age verification could expose children to privacy risks.

“This bill would create acute privacy-related dangers for children,” McGarry said, adding that requiring users to submit personal data for age verification could infringe on their First Amendment rights.

Tech industry representatives, including NetChoice and the App Association, also voiced opposition. Justin Hill of NetChoice argued that parents already have tools to regulate their children’s online activity without additional state mandates. Caleb Williamson from the App Association, which receives funding from Apple, said small app developers could face regulatory burdens that make it harder to operate in Utah.

Utah has been at the forefront of legislating online safety measures for minors. The state has previously passed social media regulations requiring platforms to verify users’ ages and provide parental controls for minors. However, several of these laws have faced legal challenges on constitutional grounds.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has lobbied for shifting the responsibility of age verification to app stores, arguing that a uniform approach across all apps would be less intrusive than individual social media laws.

In an op-ed published Monday in Deseret News, Weiler and co-authors accused app stores of treating minors like adults:

“App stores routinely treat kids like adults, steering them into accepting exploitative terms of service with billion-dollar corporations,” the op-ed stated. “These agreements can potentially give apps sweeping access to personal data—photos, contact lists, exact locations, even microphones and cameras—all without meaningful consent or oversight.”

Despite opposition, SB142 passed the committee unanimously and is now set for debate on the Utah Senate floor. If enacted, it would place Utah among the first states to require app store-level age verification, a move that could have national implications.

Opponents anticipate legal challenges over privacy concerns and First Amendment rights, similar to previous lawsuits filed against Utah’s social media laws. However, supporters argue that protecting children from data exploitation and harmful content should take precedence.