As parents and community members, all Alabamians want the same thing: for Alabama’s children to grow up healthy, focused, and protected. In Shelby and Jefferson County, we take pride in raising kids who are set up for success. But as technology becomes more deeply embedded into our children’s daily lives, it’s clear that effective safeguards in the digital world are more important than ever.
The Alabama state legislature has already begun leading the charge to meet families’ digital safety needs. In February, lawmakers in both the State House and Senate introduced legislation to create guardrails for minors when downloading apps to their mobile devices. Measures like this, alongside the federal App Store Accountability Act, ASAA, introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, R-UT, and Rep. John James, R-MI, represent a pivotal opportunity to bolster the safety of our kids’ digital environment.
Data surrounding this issue makes the urgency clear. A 2025 Journal of Consumer Research, study found that 95 percent of teenagers ages 13 to 17 in the United States report having access to a smartphone, with the average age of first ownership just 11.6 years old. Giving young children access to devices without proper regulation inevitably exposes them to harmful content and addictive apps.
Parents across Alabama understand the risks. The Alabama Policy Institute conducted a poll this year which surveyed 600 parents in the state, finding that 83 percent of respondents support legal guardian approval prior to minors downloading content from app stores. In other words, Alabama’s parents are ready to take meaningful action to protect their kids in an increasingly unregulated digital landscape.
Parents everywhere deserve peace of mind that their children are safe online; the App Store Accountability Act would reform app store systems to provide a simple, transparent way for parents to give informed consent. Requiring minors to obtain parental approval before downloading apps empowers guardians to review content and decide what’s appropriate for their children. Supporting commonsense policies like this, at both the state and federal levels, is essential to keeping our kids safe.
Alabama families have made it clear: they want a safer, more accountable digital environment for their children. Supporting the App Store Accountability Act is a common-sense step toward giving parents the tools they need to guide and protect the next generation.
