Apple
CEO
Tim Cook
is said to have contacted the governor of Texas directly to ask him to reject suggested modifications to the state’s internet regulations
child safety
laws.
Last week, the technology executive had an amicable discussion with Governor Greg Abbott.
yet emphasized that Apple had expressed interest
By halting the legislation, sources informed
The Wall Street Journal.
The proposal – House Bill 186, put forward by Jared Patterson in February – seeks to
crack down
on the use of
social media
By individuals younger than 18, including banning those under this age from accessing all social media platforms.
According to the
Journal,
Cook requested modifications to the legislation or, alternatively, for it to be discarded. Abbott hasn’t made a statement yet.
if he’ll put his signature on the bill or not
.
Safety and online privacy for Texas children continue to be important to Governor Abbott,” stated Press Secretary Andrew Mahaleris. “As with all legislation, the Governor will carefully examine this bill.
The Independent
reached out to Apple for a statement.
In an announcement provided to the media,
Journal
And according to statements from a spokesperson, the firm expressed “significant worry” regarding how the legislation could impact the privacy of every single user.
“If implemented, app stores would have to gather and retain confidential personal identification details from all Texans wishing to download an application, regardless of whether the app merely offers weather forecasts or sports scores,” the statement explained.
We think there are more effective suggestions for keeping children safe without needing millions of individuals to share their private details.
According to the
Journal
Recently, Apple has intensified its attempts to thwart the legislation by focusing ad campaigns in Austin, which suggest that the bill is “supported by adult entertainment sites.”
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