WASHINGTON, May 1, 2025 -- Today, U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) and Representative John James (R-MI) introduced the App Store Accountability Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen parental oversight and better protect American children from online exploitation.
To applaud the introduction of the bill, more than 100 child advocacy organizations sent a letter to Senator Lee and Representative James thanking them for their action to address this important issue and urging swift action to pass the App Store Accountability Act.
"For too long, app stores have operated as gatekeepers to the digital world with little accountability, allowing children to download apps and agree to complex contracts without their parents ever knowing. These agreements often give apps sweeping access to kids' personal data – photos, contact lists, exact locations, even microphones and cameras – without meaningful safeguards or their parents' knowledge. If this were happening in any other industry, it would be unthinkable," the letter reads. "Thank you for listening to the parents in your district and others across the country who have voiced concerns about how difficult it is to protect children from dangers online."
A national poll commissioned by Digital Childhood Alliance (DCA) released today found that 88% of parents want app stores to require parental approval before minors can download a new app, one of the key policies of the App Store Accountability Act.
Similarly, 85% of parents think parents should be required to give consent before children under 18 can agree to an app's terms of service, and 76% of parents want an independent organization to assign app age ratings to apps. The poll also found strong, bipartisan support for these policies, showing that the App Store Accountability Act presents a strong opportunity for Congress to work across the aisle to help protect kids online.
Melissa McKay, chair of the Digital Childhood Alliance:
"App stores serve as the primary digital entry point for children, yet the companies that operate App Stores have done little to establish meaningful safeguards for minors. The App Store Accountability Act is a commonsense, bipartisan solution that establishes parental oversight and protects minors by requiring parental permission before they can agree to apps' terms of service contracts, stopping powerful tech companies from exploiting children through deceptive contracts and misleading ratings. I thank my U.S. Senator, Mike Lee, and Representative James for stepping up to protect our children."
Dawn Hawkins, Senior Advisor for the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE):
"Congressman James and Senator Lee have shown true leadership by standing up to powerful tech companies and putting children's safety first. Their bipartisan work on the App Store Accountability Act recognizes what families across America know: the status quo is failing kids, and it's time for action. The App Store Accountability Act couldn't be more timely or more necessary."
Michael Toscano, Senior Fellow, Director of the Family First Technology Initiative:
"Parents deserve better tools to protect their kids, and kids deserve better safeguards against exploitation. We are proud to stand with Senator Mike Lee, Congressman John James, and bipartisan leaders who recognize that protecting our children online is urgent – and must be above politics."
The momentum behind the App Store Accountability Act is growing rapidly. Utah recently passed its own version of the App Store Accountability Act into law, and Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Alaska, and South Carolina are considering similar legislation in their state legislatures.
With public support surging nationwide, advocates are calling for Congress to act now to pass this critical legislation.
To read the full letter click here.
To read the full bill click here.
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