Disruption

Google pushes text message bills in states

They would require encryption, minimum photo and video quality between platforms, and other features.
The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is seen behind a Google sign at the company’s office in San Francisco on April 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

Google is pushing legislation in statehouses this year that would require all smartphones’ preloaded texting software to come with encryption and other features.

Virtually identical bills in Iowa, Ohio, Oklahoma and Wisconsin would require that text messages sent between wireless devices are encrypted and that the quality of any photos or video that are sent as part of the text message are not degraded in quality — a common issue when sending between Google Android and Apple iOS devices.

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