Apple CEO Tim Cook has criticized attempts to regulate the App Store, the online store of the US tech giant, and said such projects threaten to protect the privacy of iPhone users.
Tim Cook, speaking at a meeting of the International Association of Privacy Professionals in Washington, sought to rally support on the matter, at a time when the United States and other policymakers are seeking to force Apple to enable the installation of applications for mobile phones. Through platforms outside the App Store.
“We are deeply concerned about regulations that would jeopardize the privacy and security of services,” the official was quoted by the French news agency AFP as saying.
“The dangers we face do more than jeopardize our data, they jeopardize our freedom as human beings,” he warned.
The Cupertino, California group is in a legal dispute with Epic Games, the creator of the Fortnite video game, which seeks to circumvent App Store rules and accuses Apple of exercising a monopoly on the purchase of goods and services in your area. ‘Online shop.’
In November, a US federal judge ruled that Apple was allowing an alternative payment system on the App Store, but also ruled that Epic Games had failed to prove that Apple had violated competition law.
The tech giant is also involved in several lawsuits with European regulators.
Cook said allowing iPhone users to “manually install apps” from online stores other than the App Store would bypass Apple’s scanning process to prevent viruses and limit data collection.
“This means that companies that intend to exploit the data will be able to circumvent our privacy protection rules and start tracking our users without their knowledge,” the leader emphasized.
“It would also allow malicious actors to circumvent our arsenal of privacy protection measures, putting these actors in direct contact with our users.”
Critical voices of Apple are accusing the company of shaping the App Store to its exclusive advantage, collecting much of the financial transactions that take place on the platform and imposing strict control over app developers.
Tim Cook insisted, “If we had to agree to orders that were not validated, the consequences would be dire.”
The Apple official also confirmed that the company will continue to fight for its position in this matter.
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