PRESS RELEASE

Kobach Confronts Apple: Commit to Protecting Kids

TOPEKA – (March 20, 2026) – Attorney General Kris Kobach is demanding immediate action from Apple, Inc. for the company’s failure to safeguard iCloud against the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

In a letter sent to Apple, Attorney General Kobach put the tech company on notice: implement safeguards or Kansas is prepared to enforce our laws against companies that prioritize profits and speed over safeguards for children, parents, and consumers.

“We’re seeing time and time again where tech companies prioritize profits over the protection of children,” Kobach said. “Apple has known for years that iCloud is a leader in the industry for the distribution of CSAM and has done nothing about it. That was a conscious decision to prioritize profit over protection. My team and I are watching, and we are demanding more of Apple than vague assurances.”

The Attorney General’s letter to Apple’s development team cites its subsequent abandonment of a CSAM detection tool due to it being viewed as controversial. Apple has not made any effort to develop an alternative product or method for CSAM detection on iCloud. The letter details how Apple’s focus on opt-in protection features fail to adequately protect people and identify CSAM on iCloud.   

The Attorney General’s letter demands Apple respond by April 17, 2026, and demonstrate how the company can ensure user safety, prevent CSAM distribution, and protect privacy.

Read Kobach’s letter here.

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