CEO Tim Cook struggles to escalate binding regulations on the App Store

In fact, Apple is under global scrutiny for its App Store policies. The EU is working on legislation that would force the company to allow iPhone users to install apps from outside the App Store, which threatens Apple’s adherence to its platform and could limit its ability to charge commissions from retailers. Developers.

In the US, two bills governing app stores led by Apple and Alphabet Inc. Google’s executive is likely to become law among proposals aimed at restructuring major tech companies. In July 2021, three dozen states sued Google alleging that the company unlawfully abused its power over the app industry through the Google Play mobile store.

Recently, Apple CEO Tim Cook attacked efforts to regulate the App Store in a rare public speech at the IAPP Global Privacy Summit, warning that the law proposed to improve competition may “undermine” the privacy and security protections on the company’s products.

These comments represent Cook’s most obvious attempt to date to fight legislation that would essentially loosen the iPhone maker’s grip on app downloads – by forcing Apple to overhaul an industry core businesses like apps.

During his speech in Washington, Cook capitalized on Apple’s image as a privacy-friendly tech giant, arguing that the proposals would allow app makers to circumvent the measures. App Store’s security and privacy protections make it easier for people with unsafe apps or malware to live on their devices.

For months, Cook, along with Apple lobbyists and industry trade groups, have made similar arguments in private phone calls and letters with Washington lawmakers and their staff. But the chief executive used his keynote speaking position at a conference in the backyard of Congress to escalate the fight, drawing more public attention to Apple’s attack on the devices. new bill.

Cook’s argument contrasted with a speech that Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Lina Khan had given a day earlier at the same conference. Khan has argued for a paradigm shift in how regulators approach privacy, saying that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will assess data privacy issues through both the lens of consumer protection and competition.

Tech companies are growing increasingly wary of Congress’ efforts to pass legislation that expands competition in Silicon Valley, after a multi-party investigation in 2020 concluded that Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google engaged in anticompetitive, monopolistic-style tactics.

Apple declined to comment on whether Cook had scheduled meetings with Biden administration officials or regulators while in Washington. The White House and the FTC did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Justice Department also declined to comment. Cook’s comments come as the company faces antitrust scrutiny from regulators in both the US and Europe, and is embroiled in legal battles with app developers. , including Fortnite maker Epic Games.

Representative Ken Buck, who has co-sponsored antitrust legislation in the House of Representatives targeting tech giants, criticized the speech on Twitter, writing that the Apple company “doesn’t care about privacy rights.” friend”.

“Apple *only* cares about Apple,” he wrote.

For years, Apple has managed to stay away from the scandals that have plagued its tech industry peers, by polishing its reputation for privacy, touting investments in encryption and tools are forced to be more transparent in the data collection of developers. Cook cashed in on those efforts in a new keynote, calling on privacy experts at the conference to join Apple in its fight against competition law. He wants to illustrate the battles over technology regulation as an argument about basic human rights, arguing that people cannot accept the loss of privacy.

“It’s privacy that allows us to be and be who we are without the fear that our every move will be seen, recorded, or leaked,” the CEO said.

Cook said that Apple supports some privacy regulations, voiced support for European privacy regulations, and reiterated that the company continues to call for “a comprehensive, robust privacy law.” in the United States. During congressional debates over the law, Apple’s privacy and security arguments resonated with some lawmakers, especially those from California, the company’s home state. .

However, some security experts have dismissed Apple’s claims that the law puts consumers’ privacy and security at risk. This includes technologist Bruce Schneier, who has argued that the tech giants’ grip on app stores sometimes prevents the distribution of security-enhancing tools, and has said that the company’s arguments are “driven by its own self-interest, not the public interest”.

In fact, a review by the Washington Post last year showed that there are scams lurking in the App Store. Out of 1,000 application had the highest revenue on the App Store, nearly 2% were scams, The Post reported.