SLC Times

Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has introduced the App Store Accountability Act, a bill aimed at empowering parents to protect their children from harmful content on mobile apps. The legislation responds to concerns about sexually explicit content and social apps that expose minors to predatory behavior, which are reportedly facilitated by inadequate safety measures in app stores.

"For too long, app stores and developers have prioritized profits over the safety of our children," said Senator Lee. "Parents are doing their best to shield their kids from harmful content, but the tools available are often ineffective, inaccessible, and easy to bypass. This legislation puts parents back in control by holding app stores accountable and ensuring they offer robust protections for kids."

A study by the Family Online Safety Institute indicates that 79% of parents have used parental controls at some point; however, exposure to harmful material is still widespread. Two-thirds of parents express dissatisfaction with the current tools available.

The App Store Accountability Act aims to empower parents through several measures:

- Establishing a private right of action: Parents can seek relief, including actual and punitive damages, for harm caused by exposure to dangerous content.

- Providing a safe harbor for compliant app stores: Platforms can meet minimum standards by offering tools such as secure age verification, parental oversight, and accurate app age ratings.

- Requiring transparency and oversight: Annual certifications and a complaint mechanism will ensure tools are effective and loopholes are closed.

- Prohibiting data exploitation: The sale of age-related data collected for verification will be strictly prohibited.

The act also conveys Congress's view that parents should have the right to seek remedies when harmful content injures their children and that app stores must provide effective tools to mitigate risks.