Apple says Meta’s iOS access requests risk privacy in EU
Amidst increasing EU pressure to open its ecosystem to competitors, Apple has raised privacy concerns regarding Meta’s requests for access to its operating software.
This dispute comes as the European Commission develops “interoperability” guidelines under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). These guidelines aim to ensure compatibility between iPhones and third-party devices (like smartwatches) and features (like wireless file transfer), similar to the functionality between Apple’s own devices like Apple Watch and communication features like AirDrop.
Kelvin Chan for Associated Press:
The commission posted proposed measures late Wednesday on how Apple should make its iOS operating system work with other technology.
In response, Apple said it’s “concerned that some companies — with data practices that do not meet the high standards of data protection law held by the EU and supported by Apple — may attempt to abuse the DMA’s interoperability provisions to access sensitive user data.”
The company singled out Meta, saying it has made at least 15 requests “for potentially far-reaching access to Apple’s technology stack” that would reduce privacy protections for users.
If those requests were granted, “Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp could enable Meta to read on a user’s device all of their messages and emails, see every phone call they make or receive, track every app that they use, scan all of their photos, look at their files and calendar events, log all of their passwords,” the company said in a report.
MacDailyNews Take: Meta is to privacy as Chernobyl is to nuclear power.
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