New York: Apple CEO Tim Cook fired off shots at Facebook and other social media companies escalating an online privacy battle pitting the iPhone maker against digital services that depend on tracking people to help sell ads.
“Too many are still asking the question ‘how much can we get away with?’ when we should be asking ‘what are the consequences?'” Cook said. “What are the consequences of not just tolerating but rewarding content that undermines public trust in life-saving vaccinations? What are the consequences of seeing thousands of users join extremist groups and then perpetuating an algorithm that recommends more?”
Speaking at a virtually held International Conference on Computers, Privacy & Data Protection, Cook said it’s “time to stop pretending that this approach doesn’t come with a cost — of polarisation, lost trust, and yes, of violence.”
If reports are to be believed, Facebook is planning to file an antitrust lawsuit against Apple for allegedly abusing its power through new App Store rules. Apple and Facebook have been at loggerheads ever since Apple directed all its developers to add privacy labels to its apps on the App Store. Facebook had alleged that the new move threatens the existence of small businesses.
As per The Information, the suit that Facebook is planning to file states that Apple forces other apps to follow the rules that its own apps are not bound to follow. The report cites anonymous sources.
Apple had earlier entered into a battle with Epic Games over App Store rules. As a result of which, Fortnite was removed from the App Store. The report states that Facebook could demand changes in the App Store rules just the way Epic did in its lawsuit against Apple.
Although Facebook has not revealed its plan of filing a lawsuit, it has accused Apple of behaving in an anti-competitive manner.
