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Apple and Meta are at odds over a recent mandate from the Digital Markets Act (DMA) to provide interoperability with its services, according to Reuters. Apple claims that granting these requests could put user privacy and security at risk, while Meta disputes this assertion, accusing Apple of resisting interoperability in order to maintain its dominant market position.
The DMA requires companies like Apple to allow rivals and third-party developers to integrate with their own services or face significant fines. In response to the mandate, Apple has filed a complaint against Meta regarding 15 interoperability requests submitted by the social media giant.
Apple argues that allowing these requests could grant Meta extensive access to its technology stack, putting users at risk of privacy breaches. The company cites recent privacy issues faced by Meta in Europe as evidence of the potential risks. For instance, Meta has been fined in various countries for data breaches and tracking users across apps. Apple claims that compliance with the requested interoperability would enable Meta to read users’ messages and emails, track their phone calls and app usage, scan photos and files, access calendar events, and log passwords.
Meta, on the other hand, disputes Apple’s concerns, stating that they are merely an excuse for the company to resist the DMA’s requirements. “Every time Apple is called out for its anticompetitive behavior, they defend themselves on privacy grounds that have no basis in reality,” Meta wrote in a statement.
The European Commission has recently published preliminary directions outlining how Apple should open up to rivals and provide greater transparency regarding interoperability requests. The proposed measures are open for debate until January 9 and will be reevaluated in March, when a decision is expected on whether or not Apple has complied with the DMA’s interoperability provision.
The conflict between Apple and Meta highlights the ongoing debates surrounding data privacy and corporate competition in the tech industry.
Source: www.engadget.com
