Meta seeking unfettered access to iPhone user data via EU DMA interoperability requests
On its face, the EU DMA is meant to stop monopolies from abusing their market position, but Meta appears to be abusing this legislation in an attempt to gather unprecedented access to iPhone user data.
Meta trying to use the EU DMA to gain access to iPhone user data
Meta, Facebook's parent company, has reportedly filed 15 interoperability requests through the European Union's Digital Market Act (DMA). These requests are meant to provide competitors access to technologies to give them an equal footing, but it seems Meta is going a step further.
According to a report from Reuters, Apple has shared a statement suggesting Meta is abusing the DMA's interoperability request system. Meta has filed more requests than any other company, seeking deep access to Apple's proprietary systems.
The DMA is set up so Apple could face fines if it doesn't comply with lawful interoperability requests. Apple released a statement saying that Meta is overreaching.
"In many cases, Meta is seeking to alter functionality in a way that raises concerns about the privacy and security of users, and that appears to be completely unrelated to the actual use of Meta external devices, such as Meta smart glasses and Meta Quests," Apple said in the statement. "If Apple were to have to grant all of these requests, 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, and more."
Apple built the iPhone with a promise of privacy and has increasingly locked down user data over the years. Each new feature, like App Tracking Transparency, has caused Facebook to publicly protest Apple's efforts, calling them a direct attack on the company's business model.
Facebook/Meta has always seen the iPhone as a data treasure trove waiting to be plundered. It even attempted to scan all internet communications through a VPN it offered users that clearly violated Apple's guidelines.
There hasn't been any public statement from Meta or the European Union over Apple's report. As the EU contemplates fining Apple over DMA violations, it isn't clear how it might rule on Meta's attempts to violate user privacy.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
must be a day ending in y.
why just the latest payout this week
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-17/meta-landmark-50-million-settlement-cambridge-analytica-scandal/104737166
Meta can’t be trusted, and I hope the EU allows for OS developers to blacklist bad actors. I don’t care that Meta offers an interesting and affordable product; it is widely known to not act in an ethical and trustworthy way, as the infamous whistleblower episode proved, and I, for one, don’t mind having a private line of defense against those, even in those cases like this, when there’s an obvious conflict of interest (Vision Pro, anyone?).
Though I will say: people know Meta is a ****ty company, so… couldn’t they still have access to the screen’s contents, provided that people were warned before activating that feature, maybe in separate instead of as part of a permissions prompt package? It would be glorious to see Meta being denied that access by actual end users on a massive scale.
Apple could firstly try using GDPR against Meta. Secondly Apple could go to the European Court of Justice and accuse the EU of having insufficient measures to protect EU citizens data the basis by which the ECJ previously ruled that the 'Safe Harbour Agreement' between the US and EU was invalid as the US did not sufficiently ensure the data of EU citizens was protected.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Safe_Harbor_Privacy_Principles
Make the best Apple devices reserved for the best markets for you in the world America, Japan, Canada, and few other countries that want the best.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/iphone-market-share-by-country There are many other countries in the world that are not imposing stupidity.
LOL made myself laugh.
Apple designs the hardware AND software together. And they always want to have as much control of the user experience as possible, relinqushing control as little as possible, that too only when absolutely necessary or mandated by laws. I don't think iPhones will get the ability to run OS from anyone else ever.