The proposed bill, known as the App Store Accountability Act, aims to enhance the protection of minors in Alaska regarding the use and distribution of mobile applications. Starting January 1, 2026, app store providers will be required to verify the age of individuals downloading or purchasing apps and obtain verifiable parental consent before allowing minors to access or make purchases through their app stores. The bill outlines specific duties for app store providers, including providing mechanisms for parents to control app downloads based on age ratings, ensuring clear display of age ratings and content descriptors, and allowing developers to verify age categories and consent status.

Additionally, the bill establishes enforcement measures, including administrative fines for violations and the ability for parents to take legal action against non-compliant developers or app store providers. It also mandates the creation of an app age rating advisory committee to provide recommendations on improving transparency and consistency in app age ratings. The committee will consist of various stakeholders, including parents and app developers, and will report annually to the Department of Law until its termination on December 31, 2027.

Statutes affected:
HB0046A, AM HB 46, introduced 01/17/2025: 45.50.620, 45.50.690, 45.50.650, 09.17.020, 45.50.660, 45.50.670, 45.48.090