App Store Accountability Act

This bill, the App Store Accountability Act, aims to protect children by requiring app stores and app developers to provide parents with clear information about apps and obtain proper parental consent for minors. It establishes obligations for age verification, parental consent, and data handling for app stores and developers, with enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission and states.

Sec. 2, Definitions: Defines key terms including age categories (adult, teenager, child, young child), app store, covered app store provider (with over 5 million U.S. users), app developer, minor, parental account, verifiable parental consent, and significant change to an app.

Sec. 3, App store obligations: Requires covered app store providers to verify user age at account creation, link minor accounts to a parental account, obtain verifiable parental consent for downloads or purchases, notify users and parents of significant app changes, provide age category data to app developers, protect age verification data, display age ratings clearly, and enable real-time age category determination for developers.

Sec. 4, App developer obligations: Requires app developers to verify user age through the app store, notify the store of significant app changes, request age data or parental consent at download or when changes occur, use age data only for age restrictions and compliance, and prohibits enforcing contracts against minors without consent, misrepresenting information, or sharing age data with unaffiliated third parties.

Sec. 5, Compliance: Directs the FTC to issue compliance guidance within one year, establish a mechanism for app stores to request compliance certification (valid for one year), and create a complaint system for violations.

Sec. 6, Enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission: Treats violations as unfair or deceptive acts under the FTC Act, giving the FTC enforcement powers, penalties, and privileges.

Sec. 7, Enforcement by States: Allows state attorneys general to bring civil actions for violations on behalf of residents, with notice to the FTC, and permits FTC intervention.

Sec. 8, Safe harbor: Protects app developers from liability if they rely in good faith on app store age data, comply with section 4, and follow industry standards for age ratings.

Sec. 9, Preemption: Prohibits states from enacting laws related to this Act's provisions, but does not preempt contract or tort law.

Sec. 10, Severability: If any provision is invalid, the rest of the Act remains in effect.

Sec. 11, Effective date: The Act takes effect one year after enactment.