Apple’s Tim Cook called Texas Governor Greg Abbott to personally lobby against children’s security online bill

Apple General Director Tim Cook personally called the Republican Governor of Texas Greg Abbott lobby against an internet law on child safety currently under consideration in the state.

Cook arrived at Abbott last week and asked him to make changes to the -law – or veto him completely, reported the Wall Street Journal on Friday, citing sources familiar with the issue.

The legislation would require Apple, Google and App Store operators to verify the ages of equipment users and make minors obtain parental permission before allowing downloads.

The iPhone manufacturer and other large technology firms claim that the draft law would require data collection that is highly invasive and endanger the user’s intimacy.

The draft law has already adopted the Texas State Legislature with a desperate veto-abbott majority has not yet said whether he will sign it into law.

“Security and online intimacy for Texas children remains a priority for Governor Abbott,” said Governor’s press secretary Andrew Mahaleris in a statement. “The governor will guess this legislation, as he does with any legislation sent to his table.”

When he reached a comment, an Apple spokesman refused to comment on the report.

However, the spokesman said Apple is “deeply concerned that (legislation) SB2420 threatens the intimacy of all users.”

“If approved, application market sites will be required to collect and maintain sensitive personal login information for any Texan that wants to download an app, even if it is an app that simply provides weather updates or sports results,” the spokesman said in a statement. “We believe there are better proposals that help keep children safe without asking millions of people to return their personal information.”

The arrival of Cook at Abbott’s office is just the last sign of the Big Tech attempt to undermine the bill.

Apple and Google have funded each interest group that recently bombed the city of Austin with advertising claiming that the draft law is “supported by porn websites”, according to the newspaper.

Joel Thayer, a Republican lawyer who wrote the draft law, exploded Apple’s efforts to kill the draft law despite the widespread support he received from lawmakers.

“This is just another gap attempt to destroy a democratic vote from a nearly unity legislature trying to protect children,” said Thayer, who is also president of the Institute of Digital Progress. “Typical Apple.”

Texas would be the second state to bill a law on the responsibility of application stores. Jeta adopted similar legislation earlier this year, and at least nine states have deceived their versions.