Tim Cook Lobbies Congress Against App Store Age Verification Bill, Citing Privacy Risks

Apple CEO Tim Cook met with US lawmakers on Wednesday to lobby against pending legislation that would force app store operators to verify user ages. Instead, Cook argued for a system that empowers parents to manage their children's accounts, citing significant privacy risks with the proposed mandate.

During a closed-door meeting with the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Cook pushed back on the App Store Accountability Act, reports Bloomberg. The bill, scheduled for consideration on Thursday, would require app stores to authenticate the ages of users by checking documentation to determine if minors are accessing potentially harmful apps. Cook urged lawmakers to reject this requirement, suggesting instead that verification should rely on parents providing their child's age when creating an account rather than forcing platforms to collect and process sensitive ID documents.

Apple frames the issue as a matter of user privacy. Hilary Ware, the company's global head of privacy, recently sent a letter to the panel warning that the legislation could threaten the privacy of all App Store users. This stance puts Apple at odds with Meta, which has lobbied for app stores to bear the burden of age verification. Apple and Google generally favor an approach where developers implement safety features based on system-level parental controls.


The federal debate follows a wave of state-level regulations. States like Texas, Utah, and Louisiana have passed laws requiring tech companies to authenticate ages and secure parental consent for minors. In response to these requirements, Apple recently released new developer tools and an age assurance feature that lets parents share age ranges with apps without disclosing specific personal data. The company is also navigating similar restrictions internationally, such as Australia's new social media ban for users under 16.

Despite Apple's objections, key lawmakers signal they are moving forward. Republican Representative Gus Bilirakis, who chairs the technology subcommittee, confirmed he met with Cook but does not expect major changes to the bill. He noted the measure has bipartisan support and said the committee is "going full speed ahead," though some minor tweaks remain possible.

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