Google asks Utah’s governor to veto the state's app store age verification bill

Google is pushing back on a bill that would make Utah the first state in the US to have a law requiring app stores to conduct age verification of their users. The company has formally requested the state's governor to veto the bill, passed by the state legislature last week, as it urges states to consider a different approach to app safety. In a blog post from Google public policy director Kareem Ghanem, the company said the Utah law poses “real privacy and safety risks” and that states shouldn’t rush to pass laws “pushed by Meta” and other social media companies. Instead, Ghanethe says that Google has proposed an “alternative legislative framework” that would allow the developers of potentially “risky” apps to request “age signals” from app store owners like Google. The statement is the first time Google has publicly opposed the bill, which would make Apple and Google responsible for age verification and parental permission features for children under 18. A spokesperson also confirm ... Read full article.