Apple CEO Tim Cook has urged Texas Governor to veto online child safety bill, citing privacy concerns over mandatory age verification and data collection, The Wall Street Journal is reporting.
The legislation, which mandates age verification for app store users and parental approval for minors’ app downloads, has passed the Texas legislature with veto-proof majorities.
The bill requires app store operators, primarily Apple and Google, to verify the age of device users. For minors, it mandates linking their accounts to a parent’s account, necessitating parental approval for app downloads. Proponents argue that this measure enhances child safety and parental control in the digital age
However major tech companies have raised concerns about the implications for user privacy and operational burdens. Apple contends that the legislation would compel app marketplaces to collect sensitive personal information for every Texan wishing to download an app, even those as innocuous as weather updates or sports scores. This requirement, they argue, poses significant privacy risks.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, supports age verification at the app store level but has also expressed reservations about the bill’s approach. The company, along with Apple and Google, has been actively lobbying against the legislation, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that safeguards children without compromising user privacy.
The Texas bill is part of a broader national conversation about online child safety. Similar laws have been proposed in at least nine states and adopted in Utah.
At the federal level, the reintroduction of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) has garnered support from companies like Apple, aiming to strengthen online protections for minors. However, KOSA has faced opposition from some tech companies and civil rights groups concerned about potential overreach and censorship.
Governor Abbott’s office has not indicated whether he will sign the Texas bill into law.
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