Big Tech Turns To Privacy To Mitigate Antitrust Woes

In a speech to privacy professionals in Washington, DC, Apple CEO Tim Cook warned that proposed antitrust legislation would make iPhones less secure and expose users to companies seeking to circumvent its privacy features.

According to PYMNTS, this is not the first time that the company raised privacy protection as a shield against antitrust concerns and Apple is not the only company raising this argument. Proposed antitrust legislation in the US may offer some exemptions due to privacy considerations.

Lina Khan, the chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), stated on Monday (April 11) that it is time for the agency to “reassess” rules regarding what data companies can collect from consumers. She demanded that the companies’ privacy policies on the collection and use of consumer data be replaced with a new approach to consumer data protection. Khan didn’t go into much detail about how the new rules might be implemented.

But Apple is still fighting antitrust probes. The European Union sent new charges in its investigation over music subscription services, following a complaint from Spotify.

 Last year, the European Commission accused Apple of stifling competition in the streaming music industry by imposing rules in its App Store that force developers to use Apple’s proprietary payment system and prevent them from informing customers about other payment options.

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