Will an Alabama 15-year-old still be able to download a new game without a parent’s say-so after the new year? Under a state law set to take effect Jan. 1, 2027, the answer is no: app stores must get verifiable parental consent before anyone under 18 downloads or buys an app.
The law is House Bill 161, the App Store Accountability Act, signed by Gov. Kay Ivey in February 2026. A trade group has since sued to block it, so the start date is not certain, but no court ruling stopping the law turned up in reports available as of Nov. 9.
What Parents Will Be Asked to Approve
Under the act, a minor’s app store account has to be linked to a verified parent account. Consent is needed for downloads, app purchases and in-app purchases, according to the law firm Hunton’s summary, and parents can withdraw that consent later. The law defines a minor as anyone under 18…