Mansfield Times

State Representative Melanie Miller from Ashland presented sponsor testimony for House Bill 226, known as the App Store Accountability Act, to the House Judiciary Committee. The proposed legislation mandates age verification for app store purchases or downloads made by minors.

The bill's objective is to enhance online safety and ensure that minors cannot download apps without parental consent. It requires app stores to notify parents with an option to approve or deny a download. This process would require parents to confirm their child's age only once within the app store, rather than for each individual app.

House Bill 226 outlines several key measures:

- It ensures parental consent for individuals under 18.

- It holds app stores accountable by prohibiting contracts or terms of service with minors and penalizes any misrepresentation in parental consent disclosures.

- It aims to protect user privacy by limiting data collection strictly necessary for verifying a user's age.

"Smartphones have brought significant benefits, but they have also exposed our children to various risks, such as inappropriate online content, cyberbullying, and growing mental health concerns," said Miller. "By requiring age verification for app store downloads and transactions, we can take a substantial step toward protecting our youth from these dangers."

The legislation positions Ohio as a leader in child safety online and parental consent, aligning with similar initiatives introduced in other states.

House Bill 226 is pending further hearings in the House Judiciary Committee.