The App Store Approach
Establishing accountability at the centralized gatekeepers that almost every app must pass through to reach a consumer's device.
The Failing Approach
Trying to regulate thousands of individual apps, obscure websites, offshore game developers, and fast-moving AI companies one by one.
Why this approach works
It is Comprehensive
Rather than writing separate laws for social media, then gaming, then messaging apps, the app store captures them all at the single point of entry.
It is Enforceable
If an app developer operates overseas and ignores US laws, regulators struggle to reach them. But if the app store holds the requirement, the protection is enforced locally.
It Relieves Parents
It is less dependent on parents mastering every new platform's unique hidden settings. The standard for consent is standardized at the store level.
It is Understandable
Parents understand the app store. It's a familiar environment. Placing the pause and the information there makes sense to everyday families.
Built for What's Next
From AI chatbots to augmented reality, new technologies appear faster than lawmakers can keep up. The App Store Accountability Act creates a single, durable requirement at the gate — so families are protected no matter what the next app trend looks like.
Our Kids Are a Product: One Family's Story and the App Store Accountability Act
96% of 14-year-olds own a smartphone. | Zero states required app store accountability—until parents fought back.