Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed House Bill 161, the App Store Accountability Act, into law Tuesday, calling it “a significant step to strengthen online protections for Alabama’s children,” according to a news release from her office.
“I am thankful to Governor Ivey for signing the App Store Accountability Act—a bill designed to put Alabama parents back in the driver’s seat of their kids’ digital experiences. Her leadership signals to parents nationwide that progress in protecting children online is possible,” Casey Stefanski, executive director of the Digital Childhood Alliance, said.
With the signing of House Bill 161, now Act 2026-59, Alabama became the first state in 2026 to enact the App Store Accountability Act and the fourth state to do so in less than a year.
“As a parent myself, I am overjoyed that Governor Ivey signed House Bill 161, which passed the House and Senate unanimously,” Stephanie Smith, president of the Alabama Policy Institute, said. “This will deliver critical tools for Alabama parents, and I urge Alabama’s federal delegation to support the federal App Store Accountability Act to empower every parent across the country with these common-sense guardrails.”
Ivey, House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger and bill sponsors Representative Chris Sells and Senator Clyde Chambliss said the law sends a clear message that protecting children online is a top priority. Families across the state can breathe a sigh of relief knowing the new law requires parental consent before minors can download applications and ensures meaningful oversight of children’s online experiences, Ivey’s release said.
“With House Bill 161 signed into law, Alabama parents will be put in charge of what their children can or cannot do online. This law will prevent billion-dollar companies from contracting with Alabama’s children without their parents’ involvement and approval. I am thankful to Governor Ivey for her commitment to empowering Alabama parents,” Sells said.
“The safety of Alabama’s children is our top priority, and I am thankful Governor Ivey has signed the App Store Accountability Act into law. Alabama is helping to lead the country on what the future of child safety legislation looks like,” Chambliss said.
“Today marks a monumental achievement for child advocates everywhere. I am grateful to Governor Ivey for signing the App Store Accountability Act and am encouraged to see other states following Alabama’s lead,” Melea Stephens, a board member for the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, said.
