According to 9to5Mac, Apple CEO Tim Cook was in Washington D.C. today for closed-door meetings with the House Energy and Commerce Committee. He was there to specifically lobby against the proposed App Store Accountability Act. This bill, scheduled for committee consideration on Thursday morning, would legally require app store operators to verify the ages of their users to determine if minors are accessing harmful apps. Apple’s position, stated in a release, is that this responsibility should fall to parents when they create a child’s account. The company has already implemented its own age rating system and updated child accounts with more granular age ranges. This push comes as Apple also prepares to comply with a new Texas child safety law taking effect on January 1, 2026.
Cook’s Core Argument
So, here’s the thing. Cook’s argument is basically about control and practicality. He’s saying, “Look, we’ve built the tools—the Family Sharing system, the Ask to Buy feature, the age ratings. It’s the parent’s job to use them.” And on one level, that’s a fair point. Should a tech company in Cupertino really be tasked with checking every 13-year-old’s birth certificate or driver’s license? That’s a massive privacy and logistical headache.
But the lawmakers behind this bill are coming from a different place. They’re looking at the sheer scale of the problem and the difficulty of enforcement. They probably see Apple’s system as opt-in and easy for parents to bypass or ignore. Making Apple legally responsible shifts the burden and, theoretically, creates a more consistent barrier. It’s a classic regulatory clash: personal responsibility versus corporate accountability. Who do you trust more to keep kids safe—parents or a trillion-dollar platform?
The Bigger Picture for Apple
This isn’t just about child safety, of course. For Apple, it’s another front in the war over its App Store control. Every new regulation that dictates how the store must operate chips away at Apple’s absolute authority. They’re fighting similar battles in Europe with the Digital Markets Act and against lawsuits worldwide. Accepting a government mandate on age verification sets a precedent. What’s next? Mandated payment systems? Mandated content rules?
Apple’s preferred approach keeps the architecture—and the liability—firmly in the hands of the family unit. It’s a cleaner legal shield for them. But you have to wonder, is it truly effective? If the goal is to actually prevent harm, does the current system work well enough, or is it just a well-designed fig leaf? It’s a tough question with no easy answer.
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