Apple CEO Tim Cook has reportedly reached out to Texas Governor Greg Abbott, urging him to amend or veto a newly passed state bill that would impose parental controls and age verification requirements on app downloads, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
The legislation, which Abbott has not yet signed into law, would require that app marketplace accounts used by minors be linked to those of their parents. The system would prompt parental approval for app downloads and mandate age verification for all users — raising concerns among tech companies over privacy and data handling.
“If enacted, app marketplaces will be required to collect and keep sensitive personal identifying information for every Texan who wants to download an app, even if it’s an app that simply provides weather updates or sports scores,” an Apple spokesperson told the Journal.
Apple and Google have both been working with industry groups to push back against the measure. Apple has argued that enforcing the legislation would undermine user privacy by forcing platforms to retain unnecessary personal data, potentially exposing users to greater risk.
Supporters of the bill argue it empowers parents to better monitor and manage their children’s use of digital services and smartphone applications.
The Texas bill is part of a broader trend, with at least nine other U.S. states considering similar measures. Apple successfully opposed a related bill in Louisiana last year, although lawmakers in that state have reintroduced the proposal.
As state-level scrutiny of children’s digital access intensifies, tech firms face increasing pressure to balance regulatory compliance with privacy commitments — a tension that Apple has consistently framed as central to its product philosophy.
