Senate Judiciary advances bill that would force Apple to allow iOS side-loading
The Open Markets Act, which would force Apple to allow side-loading on iOS, has advanced out of the Senate Judiciary Committee and will now go before the full Senate for a vote.
U.S. Capitol Building. Credit: Alejandro Barba/Unsplash
Members of the Judiciary Committee approved the legislation in a nearly unanimous 21-1 vote on Thursday, according to media reports. Sen. John Cornyn was the only committee member to vote no on the antitrust legislation.
The Open Markets Act is an antitrust bill that would place additional restrictions on large technology companies like Apple and Google. It would ban those companies from prohibiting side-loading -- or downloading apps from outside an official app store -- on their platform. In Apple's case, it would allow users to download apps from places other than the App Store.
Additionally, the legislation would also bar companies from requiring developers to use their first-party payment systems and bans the practice of large tech giants using non-public information to compete with other apps.
"By establishing new rules for app stores, this legislation will help level the playing field and ensure an innovative and competitive app marketplace," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, one of the bill's main sponsors. "Now that it has passed the Judiciary Committee with strong bipartisan support, we are one step closer to it passing the Senate and being signed into law."
Apple has been a vocal critic of the legislation, penning multiple letters to members of the Senate Judiciary. According to Apple, the bill would do harm to user privacy, security, and choice unless amended.
The Cupertino tech giant has railed against side-loading. Apple executives have said that side-loading on iOS would create a "gold rush" for malware. It has also issued multiple reports explaining why it thinks side-loading would be bad for iOS users and developers.
Ahead of the vote on Thursday, the bill's advancement from the Senate Judiciary Committee seemed likely. However, the legislation will face a tougher fight when it goes up for a vote before the full Senate.
Read on AppleInsider
U.S. Capitol Building. Credit: Alejandro Barba/Unsplash
Members of the Judiciary Committee approved the legislation in a nearly unanimous 21-1 vote on Thursday, according to media reports. Sen. John Cornyn was the only committee member to vote no on the antitrust legislation.
The passage of the Open App Markets Act out of the Senate Judiciary committee brings us one step closer to having this legislation signed into law. This bill will let people download apps directly from outside companies rather than being forced to go through official app stores.
-- Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn)
The Open Markets Act is an antitrust bill that would place additional restrictions on large technology companies like Apple and Google. It would ban those companies from prohibiting side-loading -- or downloading apps from outside an official app store -- on their platform. In Apple's case, it would allow users to download apps from places other than the App Store.
Additionally, the legislation would also bar companies from requiring developers to use their first-party payment systems and bans the practice of large tech giants using non-public information to compete with other apps.
"By establishing new rules for app stores, this legislation will help level the playing field and ensure an innovative and competitive app marketplace," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, one of the bill's main sponsors. "Now that it has passed the Judiciary Committee with strong bipartisan support, we are one step closer to it passing the Senate and being signed into law."
Apple has been a vocal critic of the legislation, penning multiple letters to members of the Senate Judiciary. According to Apple, the bill would do harm to user privacy, security, and choice unless amended.
The Cupertino tech giant has railed against side-loading. Apple executives have said that side-loading on iOS would create a "gold rush" for malware. It has also issued multiple reports explaining why it thinks side-loading would be bad for iOS users and developers.
Ahead of the vote on Thursday, the bill's advancement from the Senate Judiciary Committee seemed likely. However, the legislation will face a tougher fight when it goes up for a vote before the full Senate.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
We all know we have to follow the money when anything happens in Congress. This isn't an antitrust bill because there's way too many other businesses that do the same thing. It's a money grab by politicians and a push to stop certain companies who might not be paying off politicians enough. I spent the vast majority of my working career protecting computer systems from attack and Apple is providing a service to its customers that Congress doesn't understand while agreeing with a few software companies who are greedy. If Apple is forced to allow side-loading and my iOS devices are compromised, I will be filing a lawsuit against the US Government for forcing Apple to be less secure.
Final comment. The other participants in this idiotic Act are our three-letter agencies who have been fighting for years to get a backdoor into Apple products. Side-loading will be accomplished whenever you log onto a government website or use a government-sponsored (or required) iOS app. Tell me I'm wrong with actual documentation that says these agencies are not funding any of these politicians or providing any of the technical people bogus information to get them to force this change.
And who's going to guarantee that the same apps can be downloaded from both sources? Nobody. So Senator Blackburn is promoting a false choice with this quote.
IF Apple is forced to provide side-loading, as @OutdoorAppDeveloper states, Apple would have to provide and install the api's necessary to use side-loading. Once the capability is there, a good developer/hacker can easily exploit it even if the user has turned it off. It might be as simple as installing a common, free app that everyone uses (Facebook???) and the install changes the side-loading setting after a few uses (so the App Store testers don't catch it fight off). I'm not a developer but I'm sure this could easily be configured, just like the official Olympic app that forces certain monitoring of athletes. There's no other option for the athletes. That's why I used the US government as an example. Submit your taxes via the IRS app and the FBI/NSA force the side-loading setting to be turned on then immediately include a backdoor. This isn't from a movie, it's common sense. If you don't think the FBI/NSA can already break into almost every version of Android you're in denial.
one word -> Parler
this bill is required since long time - as Apple and Google have been dangerously controlling the narrative !!!!!
The bill also has a condition that it requires being able to delete the bundled App Store:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2710/text?r=49&s=1
That means Apple wouldn't even be able to update its own software but users won't ever delete it because of that.
They've specifically targeted the bill at Apple and Google by limiting it to 50m US app store users because otherwise it would apply to Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo.
Apple and Google can both comply with the 50m users too. They can just block access to the store on their devices in every state that votes for the bill. They have no obligation to provide a store at all.
The app store deletion is nuts.