Apple Boss Concerned About Laws That Could Damage User Privacy

Apple boss Tim Cook says the company is very concerned about the legislation.(photo: Tim Cook / Apple YouTube Screenshot)

JAKARTA - Apple boss Tim Cook said the company was very concerned about the proposed law, which it claims could undermine user privacy and compromise people's data.

In his speech at the International Privacy Professional Association (IAPP) Global Privacy Summit in Washington DC, United States (US), Apple actually supports privacy regulations. But according to Cook, the company is also concerned about legislation that would undermine privacy and security for other purposes.

According to Cook, technology has both good and bad potential, and it's up to everyone whether to use it properly or not.

“One where technology unlocks humanity's full creative potential, and ushers in a new era of possibility. Others where technology is exploited to rob humanity of what is fundamental, our own privacy. And that is an unacceptable loss," Cook said.

Launching 9to5Mac, Wednesday, April 13, Cook argues that privacy is also not just a matter of security and respect, but it's also important for people to be themselves, and take risks.

"A world without privacy is less imaginative, less empathetic, less innovative, less human," said Cook.

On the other hand, Cook acknowledged that Apple is fighting for privacy on many fronts. As in the expression of the military-industrial complex, describing the way the government and arms suppliers have a symbiotic relationship at the expense of humanity.

He described the threat from what he called the data industry complex. “This is a commitment to protecting people from the complex data industry that is built on surveillance,” said Cook.

As such, Cook stated that users would never receive that level of surveillance if seen, such as someone physically following, monitoring, photographing and calling for federal privacy laws.

“Apple supports privacy regulation. We have long supported GDPR, and we commend any country that has enacted their own privacy laws. We also continue to call for strong and comprehensive privacy laws in the US," Cook said.

It's worth noting that legislators and regulators in the US and Europe have expressed concerns about the App Store ecosystem that Apple is fencing, and whether the tech giant's own anti-competitive practices are the only way to get apps onto Apple devices.

But Cook warned of the dangers of forcing Apple to allow third-party apps to their devices not from the App Store, a process known as sideloading.

Such a move, Cook said, could allow data-hungry companies to get around Apple's privacy measures and track users against their will.

Apple has introduced a variety of privacy protection tools in recent years, including features that stop apps from tracking users on the internet and restrict data collection.