Four out of five parents in favour of parental consent for app downloads by under-16s

55% of parents chose the age of 16 as a cut-off for requiring parents’ consent for downloading apps when confronted with three options. — AFP Relaxnews

A national US survey reveals that an overwhelming majority of American parents would approve of a potential law requiring that children under 16 have their consent in order to download applications. The survey, which reveals growing concerns about young people’s online safety, also supports Meta’s call for such a parental control law on a national level.

Nearly 80% of parents would be willing to support a potential law that would see children younger than 16 have to seek approval from their guardians for downloading an app. The survey,* conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the Meta Group, showed participating parents with Democratic (81%) and Republican (79%) leanings felt similarly. The high percentage of parents supporting the idea transcends political divides, underlining a shared concern for children's online safety.