Parents Over Platforms Act

Key Points

• This bill requires app stores to ask users for their age when they create an account. The stores must then create a digital 'age signal' that tells other apps whether a user is a minor or an adult, helping to ensure kids only see content and apps that are appropriate for their age group.
• App developers would be required to use these age signals or their own reliable methods to identify minors. They must stop showing personalized ads to anyone under 18 and must get permission before letting children access apps or features that are meant for adults or labeled as unsuitable for kids.
• The policy aims to give parents more power over what their children do online. App stores would have to provide a central place where parents can block their kids from downloading specific types of apps based on age ratings, making it easier to manage digital safety in one spot.
• To protect privacy, the bill limits how much data companies can collect just to check a person's age. Companies are forbidden from using this age information for anything else, such as trying to figure out a user's exact birthday or sharing the data with outside advertisers.
• If passed, the Federal Trade Commission would have the power to punish companies that do not follow these rules. The requirements would go into effect two years after the bill becomes law, giving tech companies time to build the necessary tools and systems.

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