The WSJ has a good piece on Apple’s aggressive efforts to kill a Louisiana bill that would have required age limits for apps to be part of iOS and Android. Apple wasn’t shy about things:
An Apple lobbyist responded with a flurry of text messages, declaring the provision a “poison pill from Meta” and forwarding news stories about allegations that Meta has failed to protect children, Carver said. He described Apple’s outreach as “all day, every day.” In a series of conversations, Apple’s lobbyists and staffers made clear the company would fight any effort at age-gating. [...]
Within days, lobbying records show, Apple hired four additional lobbyists in Baton Rouge. Among them was Alton Ashy, a Baton Rouge heavyweight best known for representing truck-stop casinos in the capital. One of Carver’s legislative colleagues joked that his bill was turning into a full employment act for the state’s lobbyists.
It’s not the first time: Apple went heavy against a Georgia bill that would have opened up the App Store a few years ago.
(Note to the Journal, though: stop letting tech company spox comment on background! Ick.)
