Apple CEO Tim Cook Tuesday dialed up his criticism of bipartisan antitrust legislation that is gaining traction in Congress, saying that some of the proposed policies would endanger iPhone user privacy and security.
Cook said that the bipartisan Open Markets Act would require Apple to permit iPhone users the ability to install apps from anywhere on the internet, known as sideloading, which could lead to users mistakenly downloading malware and harmful software.
“If we are forced to let unvetted apps onto iPhone, the unintended consequences will be profound,” Cook said in a speech at the IAPP Global Privacy Summit in Washington, D.C.
“Taking away a more secure option will leave users with less choice, not more,” said Cook. “And when companies decide to leave the App Store because they want to exploit user data, it could put significant pressure on people to engage with alternate app stores.”
BREAKING UP BIG TECH WOULD ADDRESS CONSERVATIVE FEARS OF BIAS, TOP DEMOCRAT SAYS
The Open Markets Act, which passed the Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this year and is expected to head to the Senate floor in the coming months, would force Google and Apple to give up control over their app stores by requiring them to house apps from other marketplaces, allow apps to use alternative payment systems and offer different price points elsewhere, and enable app developers to reach their users directly for legitimate business purposes.
The advancement of the bill — along with another similar anti-Big Tech bill from earlier this month, the American Innovation and Choice Online Act — shows broad support in Congress to rein in the tech giants.
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Nearly 90% of app developers favor legislation promoting a level playing field in the app marketplace, according to a recent survey by Coalition for App Fairness, a nonprofit organization that advocates for fair competition among app stores.
