A teenager asks to download an app. A parent reaches for their own phone to approve it. That familiar family step is becoming part of a larger legal system.

That family step now has rules behind it. Texas requires app stores to verify the age category of a person creating an account in the state. If the account belongs to someone under 18, it must be connected to a parent or guardian. That adult may have to approve app downloads, in-app purchases, and certain major changes inside an app.

But the law took effect January 1 under an unsettled legal cloud. A federal judge initially blocked enforcement. An appeals court later put that block on hold. On July 6, the Supreme Court declined to pause the law while the challenge continues. That was a procedural decision. The courts have yet to settle whether the law is constitutional.

Meanwhile, Apple and Google have started changing their systems for new Texas accounts. Apple says its Texas flow began June 4. Google says it started rolling out age checks for new users whose accounts were created after May 28.

The result works differently on each platform. Both companies can pass an age category or range to an app instead of handing over an exact birthday. They can also carry information about parental supervision and approval. Apple says a parent who withdraws consent may prevent the app from opening. Google sends the approval status to the developer, which then decides how its app responds under the rules that apply to it.

For families, this may mean more permission prompts and more account setup. For adults, it may mean proving age to avoid being placed behind a child gate. And for everyone, it creates a new question about who receives the age signal and what they do with it.

Because similar laws are taking shape in other states, the experience may remain uneven for a while. Your location, account date, and device platform can change what you see.

So take five minutes to check the birth dates and family links on the accounts used in your home. When an age-verification prompt appears, read it before uploading an ID or selfie. Find out who performs the check and what information reaches the app.

The permission slip has moved onto the phone. Treat it like one.