The battle over online safety for children has escalated into a major tech feud, with Meta and Google taking opposing stances on who should bear the responsibility for verifying users’ ages. This conflict comes just a week after Utah became the first U.S. state to require app stores to verify users’ ages before granting access to social media platforms.
Google has accused Meta and other social media giants of advocating for legislative proposals that shift the burden of age verification to app stores rather than addressing the core safety concerns. In a blog post published on Wednesday, March 12, Google argued that these proposals “introduce new risks to the privacy of minors, without actually addressing the harms that are inspiring lawmakers to act.”
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has reportedly pushed for policies that require app stores to verify user ages rather than placing the responsibility on social media platforms themselves. This approach has drawn criticism from Google, which contends that such a move does little to ensure kids’ safety online and instead complicates the issue by exposing minors’ data to additional entities.
The ongoing dispute highlights a broader debate over how to implement effective online protections for children. Tech companies, policymakers, and child safety advocates all agree that stronger measures are needed to prevent underage users from accessing harmful content. However, there is no consensus on the best approach.
Supporters of Utah’s new law argue that app stores are well-positioned to verify user ages, given their central role in distributing apps. They claim that requiring verification at the app store level could streamline enforcement and prevent young users from accessing age-restricted platforms altogether. However, critics, including Google, warn that such measures could undermine privacy and fail to address risks such as inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and data exploitation within the apps themselves.
As more states consider similar legislation, the battle over who should be responsible for children’s online safety is far from over. With major tech firms at odds, the future of digital child protection remains uncertain, leaving regulators to navigate a complex and evolving landscape.
