Facebook again lashes out at Apple, this time regarding new legislation in the European Union that focuses on how Apple operates the App Store and its pre-installed first-party apps. In a statement to Reutersa Facebook spokesperson said the company “hopes” the new legislation will “set limits for Apple.”
As we reported this morning, the proposed EU legislation consists of two parts. The first is the Digital Markets Act, or DMA, which could force Apple to change the way its own apps appear in App Store searches and allow users to uninstall all pre-loaded applications.
The second part is the Digital Services Act, which would affect companies like Google / YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and other social media services the most. The DSA focuses on tackling “illegal and harmful content by asking platforms to remove it quickly.”
When asked about the proposed changes in the EU, Facebook used it as an opportunity to shoot at Apple one more time, saying Apple is using its power to “hurt developers and consumers.” Full statement from Facebook:
“We hope the DMA will also set limits for Apple,” said a Facebook spokesperson. “Apple operates an entire ecosystem from device to app store and apps, and uses this power to harm developers and consumers, as well as major platforms such as Facebook,” he said.
Facebook’s comments come the day after Apple rolled out new App Privacy labels in the App Store, designed to make users more aware of the data each app collects and what gets done with that date. Facebook’s App Privacy label is quite extensive, to say the least:
This isn’t the first time Facebook has publicly contacted Apple. Recently, the company focused on criticizing Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature, which will be coming to iOS 14 in early 2021. Mark Zuckerberg also recently condemned Apple for having a “stranglehold” on the iPhone and charging it for “monopoly rent.”
Apple, for its part, has fired back on Facebook by criticizing the company’s data collection policy. Apple has doubled down on its plans to roll out App Tracking Transparency while accusing Facebook of collecting “as much data as possible” about its users.
FTC: We use automatic affiliate links that generate income. Lake.
Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news: