Apple CEO Tim Cook Advocates for Privacy-Focused Approach to Online Safety Legislation

Apple CEO Tim Cook (File).

Apple's Chief Executive Tim Cook engaged with members of the US House on Wednesday to express concerns about federal legislation that could potentially mandate iPhone users' age verification and collection of sensitive data regarding children. Instead, Cook advocated for legislation that would allow parents to determine whether to disclose their child's age to app marketplaces.

The App Store Accountability Act aims to prevent minors from accessing harmful online content. Texas has already enacted comparable legislation requiring parental approval for app downloads and in-app purchases by users under 18. Utah pioneered similar regulations earlier this year, while Australia recently implemented a nationwide social media restriction for individuals under 16 years of age.

Though online age restrictions enjoy widespread public support in the United States, legislative efforts have sparked a contentious debate between Apple and Google versus tech competitors like Meta Platforms. Apple and Google, operators of the world's largest app stores, argue that verifying minors' ages might necessitate mass collection of children's birth certificates and other sensitive documentation. Meanwhile, Meta, owner of Facebook and Instagram, contends that requiring app stores to verify ages represents the most effective approach to enforcing limitations.

Apple, which has consistently opposed government intervention in data privacy matters, has voiced concerns that the proposed US federal legislation would require collecting identifying information about virtually all Apple users, including children. Cook met with House Energy and Commerce Committee members on Capitol Hill Wednesday to address these concerns, according to Apple.

"Not all legislative proposals offer equal privacy protection or accountability across the ecosystem," stated Apple's global privacy head Hilary Ware in a recent committee letter. "Some well-intended age verification proposals at the app marketplace level would necessitate collecting sensitive information from anyone downloading an app, even for simple applications providing weather updates or sports scores."

A 2023 Pew Research poll revealed that 81% of Americans support requiring parental consent for children creating social media accounts, while 71% favor age verification requirements for social media usage.