① Apple unveiled the concept of’privacy business’
② Facebook reviewing “unfair” lawsuit
③ Apple “Privacy” vs. Facebook “Openness”
Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO. Photo = EPA
Facebook and Apple have entered the Second War over the’technological supremacy’ that will dominate the internet world for at least decades to come. As Apple, which has the world’s largest number of loyal customers, decides to launch a’privacy business’ sooner or later, Facebook, which will suffer the most damage, is reviewing legal proceedings.
Facebook reviewing litigation
On the 28th (local time), foreign media such as the New York Times reported that Facebook is preparing to file an antitrust lawsuit against Apple. The key point is that while Apple is using its market dominant business position to benefit apps that it has developed, it is imposing strict regulations on external providers like Facebook. The New York Times reported that “Facebook has been preparing a lawsuit with legal experts since months ago.”
What Facebook is facing is the’privacy protection feature’ that Apple has decided to release in the first half of this year. Apple plans to apply a feature that blocks applications that will be installed on the new mobile operating system’iOS 14′ from tracking users’ browsing activities or app usage history without permission.
For example, when an iPhone user launches the Facebook app, a pop-up window will pop up asking’Will you allow Facebook to track your activity across other company apps and websites?’, otherwise data tracking will be blocked. In this case, Facebook, which has a business model that tracks smartphone usage records and sends customized advertisements, will be hit directly. This is because, in the digital advertising industry, when a pop-up window related to data tracking appears, nearly 90% of users expect to press the’reject’ button. That’s why Facebook is resisting Apple’s action while reviewing the lawsuit.
Facebook already posted a full-page advertisement criticizing Apple’s policy in major US daily newspapers such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal as Apple made a move to launch such a’privacy business’ at the end of last year. Facebook titled the ad, “We will fight against Apple for small businesses everywhere in the world.” The title of Facebook, which has a business structure that makes money by tracking user information and providing consumer-specific data to small business owners, came out.
Tim Cook’s Facebook’Sniping’
Apple sees this’privacy business’ as its most important business strategy going forward.
Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, said at the Consumer Privacy and Data Protection Conference held on the 28th, “If a company is based on misleading users and data exploitation, and in fact, choices rather than choices, the company is praised. “It deserves reform,” he said. “It’s been a long time since we stopped pretending that this approach did not come with the sacrifice of polarization, loss of trust, and violence,” said Cook. “Social dilemma should not be allowed to become a social disaster.”
On the 6th, some supporters of former President Donald Trump are demonstrating in front of the US Congress. Photo = AP
On the surface, such remarks by CEO Cook appear to refer to fake news on social network services (SNS), ideological polarization, and social division leading to the recent U.S. Capitol riot, but after that, these contents are expressed without filtering. It was evaluated that it criticized Internet platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
“What is the result of prioritizing conspiracy theories or incitement of violence just because they see a lot? What is the result of rewarding content rather than just putting up with it that neutralizes public trust in life-saving vaccinations? “After seeing joining state groups, what are the consequences of perpetuating the algorithm that recommends more groups?”
The opposite business models of the two companies
Apple has been researching the concept of’differential privacy’ since 2016, a technology that detects user behavior patterns instead of indiscriminately tracking user information. It is a technology that understands users’ behavior patterns without infringing on personal information. It is an equation that collects data as an approximate value instead of a specified data value and corrects it with a deep learning process.
Tim Cook, Apple CEO. In the first half of this year, Apple plans to introduce features that enhance user privacy protection in iOS 14. Photo = AP
On the other hand, Facebook is using’small business and internet freedom’ as its cause. This is because’data openness’ is essential to protect the existing business model while enhancing the information convenience of consumers. However, the fact that this process has no choice but to rely on devices such as the iPhone is painful in the Facebook business structure.
Regarding the fact that Facebook is reviewing legal proceedings against Apple, the Wall Street Journal of the US Japan said, “At the core of this conflict, there is a distinctly contrasting business model of the two companies.” “The future of the Internet can change.”
Reporter No Jeong-dong Hankyung.com [email protected]