Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Tim Cook took a swipe at Facebook after Mark Zuckerberg accused Apple of misleading users

Tim Cook took a swipe at Facebook after Mark Zuckerberg accused Apple of misleading users

"Technology does not need vast troves of personal data, stitched together across dozens of websites and apps, in order to succeed," Cook said.
Apple's privacy war with Facebook is escalating again.

CEO Tim Cook on Thursday launched an attack on business models that prioritize engagement above all and gather user data to target users with advertising.

"Technology does not need vast troves of personal data, stitched together across dozens of websites and apps, in order to succeed," he said in a speech to the European Computers, Privacy and Data Protection Conference. "Advertising existed and thrived for decades without it. And we're here today because the path of least resistance is rarely the path of wisdom."

While he did not mention Facebook by name, it appeared fairly clear he was referring to the social-media company.

"At a moment of rampant disinformation and conspiracy theories juiced by algorithms, we can no longer turn a blind eye to a theory of technology that says all engagement is good engagement — the longer the better — and all with the goal of collecting as much data as possible," Cook said.

"It is long past time to stop pretending that this approach doesn't come with a cost — of polarization, of lost trust, and, yes, of violence. A social dilemma cannot be allowed to become a social catastrophe," he added. That comment seemed to allude to the Netflix documentary "The Social Dilemma," which examined social-media companies that monetize users' attention. The film prompted a response from Facebook, which dismissed it as sensationalist.

The Apple CEO seemed to call on lawmakers to regulate Facebook. "If a business is built on misleading users, on data exploitation, on choices that are no choices at all, then it does not deserve our praise," he said. "It deserves reform."

Apple and Facebook have been at loggerheads since August, when Apple announced plans to begin forcing iPhone apps to ask users for consent before tracking them for advertising purposes.

This privacy update was originally scheduled to roll out with iOS 14 in September, but Apple delayed it after Facebook protested, saying the update would decimate its and other developers' ad revenue. Apple this week said the feature would finally roll out in early spring. Insider reported in December that the company was seeking a March release date.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg attacked Apple during a Facebook earnings call Wednesday, accusing the iPhone maker of making "misleading" promises about its privacy practices.

News broke Thursday that Facebook was preparing an antitrust lawsuit against Apple over its App Store rules for third-party developers. This fit with comments in which Zuckerberg accused Apple of abusing its App Store dominance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
×