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Pinterest Backs App Store Accountability Act to Centralize Age Verification

Pinterest announced its support for the App Store Accountability Act, which would require app stores to verify user ages. The bill from Sen. Mike Lee and Rep. John James is part of a package of children’s online-safety measures the House Energy and Commerce Committee will consider. Pinterest joins Meta, X and Snapchat in backing a centralized, privacy-minded verification system, while Apple and Google say app developers should handle age checks. Lawmakers will review 19 bills, including a new version of the Kids Online Safety Act.

03:26 AM, 12/02/2025Politics

Pinterest on Monday announced it supports the App Store Accountability Act, a bill that would require app marketplaces to verify the ages of their users. The measure, introduced by Sen. Mike Lee (R‑Utah) and Rep. John James (R‑Mich.), is part of a package of children's online-safety proposals scheduled for the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

“Pinterest is proud to endorse the App Store Accountability Act,”
“Parents need a single, privacy-preserving solution to verify their child’s age and know they’re safe online,”

“Making the app store a one‑stop shop for age verification ensures children are protected from the moment they start using a device,”
Pinterest CEO Bill Ready added, urging Congress to pass the legislation.

Pinterest joins other major platforms — including Meta, X and Snapchat — in supporting the bill. Proponents say a centralized system would spare parents from repeatedly verifying their child’s age across multiple apps and could provide a consistent, privacy-focused approach to age checks.

Apple and Google, which operate the dominant app stores, have pushed back, arguing that individual app developers are better placed to perform age verification and manage related controls. The bill would shift more responsibility to the stores themselves rather than to each developer.

Sen. Lee welcomed Pinterest’s endorsement, saying the support strengthens calls for reliable age verification, stronger parental controls and safeguards against exploitation. Lawmakers will consider this measure alongside 18 others at the committee hearing, including a revised version of the Kids Online Safety Act, which aims to create additional protections for minors online.

What happens next

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is scheduled to review the package, and any bill that advances would still face additional floor votes before becoming law. If enacted, the App Store Accountability Act could reshape how platforms handle age checks and parental controls across millions of devices.

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