Apple CEO Tim Cook was in Washington, D.C.today to meet with US lawmakers about the upcoming App Store Accountability Act, reports .The App Store Accountability Act would require Apple to verify a person's age when an Apple Account is created using a "commercially available method or process," and get parental consent for each app that a child under 16 downloads.
Apple is against the App Store Accountability Act because it does not want to be legally responsible for verifying user age, obtaining parental consent, or ensuring that developers follow the rules, nor does it want to collect the required documentation.It is Apple's opinion that age verification should be the responsibility of app creators.Cook pushed lawmakers not to require app store platforms to collect data for age verification purposes, instead suggesting that parents should be providing the age of a child when creating a child's account (which is how account creation works now).
To head off legislation, Apple has introduced new age assurance features, such as simpler tools for parents to oversee children's Apple accounts, new age categories for app content, and the Declared Age Range API that provides developers with a privacy-forward way to ensure kids aren't exposed to in-app content meant for adults.Apple has argued that it already has extensive parental controls with Screen Time, and that the legislation would require it to collect excessive amounts of information from all users just to verify the age of children.Apple says that it could be required to collect data like a driver's license, passport, or Social Security number, which is "not in the interest of user safety or privacy." The House Energy and Commerce Committee will consider the bill on Thursday morning.
Texas recently passed a similar bill, SB2420.Starting on January 1, 2026, Apple users located in Texas will need to confirm whether they are 18 years or older when creating an Apple Account.Apple will need to verify age and parental identity, and the App Store will need to provide additional information to parents.
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