Meta proposes new age verification law for app store in Canada

Meta has been lobbying the federal government for new rules to implement age verification at the app store level, which would put the burden on other companies.

Meta has been lobbying the federal government for new rules to implement age verification at the app store level — which would put the burden on companies like Apple and Google, not individual platforms like Meta’s Facebook and Instagram.

The company has been pitching the idea in meetings with both the federal and provincial governments, said Meta Canada director of public policy Rachel Curran.

Curran said in an interview Meta has been making the case that the Liberal government should include the concept in upcoming legislation that deals with online safety issues.

“We think it’s by far the most effective, privacy-protective, efficient way to determine a user’s age,” Curran said.

Under Meta’s proposal, the app stores themselves — which are operated by Apple on its devices and Google on devices using its Android operating system — would signal to app developers whether users are older or younger than 18.

“That would allow us, along with all of the other apps that kids are using, to make sure users are placed in appropriate experiences for their age,” Curran said.

Curran said parents are already entering birth dates when they set up kids’ phones, and linking their kids’ accounts to their own to authorize purchases.

Other jurisdictions, including more than 20 U.S. states, have proposed or passed legislation targeting app stores, she noted.