Texas aims to ban anyone under 18 from social media. Starting in 2026, Apple and Google apps will require age verification

Texas just passed a new online safety law that’ll take effect on January 1, 2026. It requires app stores like Apple’s and Google’s to check users' ages and get parental permission before anyone under 18 can download apps or make in-app purchases.

Texas joins growing trend to restrict kids’ online access and purchases

House Bill 186, Texas’s plan to ban minors from social media, just got the green light from the House with support from both parties. It’s likely to pass the state Senate too. If it becomes law, anyone under 18 won’t be able to create accounts on big platforms like TikTok, X, Facebook, or Snapchat. Platforms would have to verify users' ages and start following the new guidelines by April 2026.

Parents would be able to ask for their kid’s account to be deleted, and social media companies would have to handle those requests within 10 days. If Governor Greg Abbott signs the bill, Texas would be the first state to ban social media for anyone under 18. Florida has a similar law but only for kids under 14, and they’re thinking about raising that to 16.

Apple's CEO Tim CookSource: flickr, photo by iphonedigital

Big tech companies aren’t happy about the Texas Age Verification Law. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook even reached out to Governor Abbott to try and stop or change the bill, saying that the age checks would mean collecting a lot of sensitive personal info from everyone, which could hurt user privacy. Google’s also raised red flags, saying the law might actually make data breaches more likely without really making kids any safer online.

Still, the bill got strong backing in the legislature and passed. Funny enough, Meta (formerly Facebook) is actually on board with the law, putting them at odds with Apple and Google on this one.

The Texas law is just one part of a bigger movement where states are tightening up what kids can see and do online, mostly because there’s growing concern about how social media and other apps impact kids’ mental health. Earlier this year, the creators of Genshin Impact agreed to pay $20 million fine and put restrictions in place so those under 16 in the US can’t make in-game purchases.

That said, the law might still face some legal battles since similar rules in other states have been challenged in court.

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