Google is making some changes to Android that make it more restrictive than I’ve previously thought of it. Age verification for apps is coming to Android, and side loading is being restricted to apps that have been “verified” by Google. This is something that is coming to conform to new laws. Apple is also making some changes to conform and published information about it earlier this year. I just received Android’s notification about the change. The full e-mail is appended to the end of this post.
App Verification for Sideloaded Apps
Sideloading is the practice of loading applications onto the device outside of an app store. For Android, this usually involves changing a setting on the phone to allow applications from unknown sources, copying a .apk file to the device, and opening it for the phone to install the app within the .apk. To make an app, someone could download Android Studio, write their code, package their app, and share it with their friends at no cost. Google says that a side-loaded application is 50 times more likely to contain malware. For a developer to distribute their app outside of the Play Store, the developer must register with Google. This is a change from being able to build an app and make the .apk available without interacting with Google. Users who do not load applications outside of the Play Store will not see a difference.
Age Verification
Age verification is attributed to several state laws. The most prominent one referenced is Texas’s Senate Bill 2420. This bill says it regulates the sale of applications to mobile devices. It creates an obligation for app stores to inquire and verify user ages and categorize users into one of a defined set of categories.
- Age 13 or older but younger than 16
- At least 16 but younger than 18
- 18 or older
For each application that a minor downloads, the download will require the consent of the parent. The developers are obligated to come up with age ratings for the applications based on the categories above. The developer must disclose information on the elements of the software that lead to a particular setting being selected. Safety-related features must be enabled in response to the younger age categories. The Texas bill also says that the parent of a minor can make civil damage claims against a developer or app store for failing to meet the requirements.
Expected Impacts
My expectation is that a typical end-user is not likely to notice any change from this bill. At most, there’s the possibility of apps from smaller independent developers that may disappear if it is not eventually updated to conform. From what I’ve seen of the children in my family, they are more inclined to install new apps, especially games. I expect parents to be bugged a lot more about giving permission to install apps. That said, it isn’t unusual for a child to have access to their parents’ phones and sometimes certain passwords. I can’t help but expect that some non-significant portion of children may just use their parents’ phones or passwords to approve themselves.
Different than 1996
These restrictions remind me of another set of restrictions from 29 years ago. In 1996, Congress passed a bipartisan bill, the Communications and Decency Act. A part of that bill required that any website that may have content that isn’t appropriate for children perform age verification and filtering. Most of this bill failed and was enjoined as unconstitutional. The bill’s requirement for age verification would burden lawfully speaking adults and non-commercial interactions. The only portion of that bill that survives as a law today is a law that many simply refer to as Section 230 (47 USC §230). §230 provides a civil defense from liability for what someone else posted to an interactive computer service. The implementation of the Texas bill and others differs from the 1996 Act in that it targets commercial entities (App stores).
The Email from Google
What’s happening
A few U.S. states, currently Texas, Utah, and Louisiana, have recently passed verification laws requiring app stores to verify users’ ages, obtain parental approval, and provide users’ age information to developers. These laws also create new obligations for developers who distribute their apps through app stores in these states.
Our plan to support you
While we have user privacy and trust concerns with these new verification laws, Google Play is designing APIs, systems, and tools to help you meet your obligations. The first verification law to take effect is Texas’s SB 2420 on January 1, 2026. Given short implementation timelines, we are sharing details about the Play Age Signals API (beta) and have made the API integration guide available to you.
What this means for you
These laws impose significant new requirements on many apps that may need to provide age appropriate experiences to users in these states. These requirements include ingesting users’ age ranges and parental approval status for significant changes from app stores and notifying app stores of significant changes. It is important that you review these laws and understand your obligations.
If you have any additional questions, please contact our support team.
Thank you, Your Google Play team
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