Protecting children online should be a top priority for every developer, platform, and lawmaker. Age verification laws must protect minors and empower parents to make informed decisions about their children’s online experiences, without overburdening apps that pose little risk.
Senate Bill 284 would require all apps to verify the age of every user, regardless of the experience they provide. The proposal also fails to require apps that provide age-based experiences to ensure the experience is age-appropriate. It contains numerous exemptions for apps that come pre-installed or are downloaded from websites or third-party stores. Additionally, it overlooks web-based apps and sites.
A recent poll of Michigan developers finds that SB 284’s one-size-fits-all approach would impose significant financial burdens on apps.
Blanket Requirements Lack Common Sense, Burden Small Apps
Most (60%) Michigan developers say they don’t have a reason to know their users’ ages. Yet SB 284 would force all apps to receive and store age signals from each user. Calculators, weather apps, and math games that don’t provide different experiences to users based on age would still have to build the infrastructure to receive, process, and store user age signals.
This is highly burdensome for small teams, as 77% of Michigan developers say receiving and storing age data from app stores would incur significant development costs, and 55% estimate that complying with such requirements would cost more than $10,000 per year.
Responsibility for Age Assurance Should Rest with the Apps Providing Age-Based Experiences
Conversely, dating and social media apps provide adult-oriented experiences, and should be responsible for ensuring that their users are of an appropriate age. Michigan developers agree, with 93% saying apps that provide different experiences based on age, like dating apps, should be responsible for verifying users’ ages. Similarly, most believe that app stores should share responsibility, with 93% saying app stores should have a responsibility to prevent minors from downloading apps intended for adults.
Michigan lawmakers must reject SB 284 and find a balanced solution that actually guards children from the dangers posed by certain apps, while giving small and independent developers the ability to continue innovating.
Methodology: The Developers Alliance conducted an online survey of 200 leaders and decision makers at companies that offer an app in Michigan. The survey was conducted in Fall 2025. The sample (N = 200) has a margin of error of +/-6.9%.
