Meta is trying to use the EU DMA to access iPhone users' data
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On the surface, the EU DMA is designed to prevent monopolies from abusing their market power, but Meta appears to be abusing the legislation in an attempt to collect unprecedented access to iPhone user data.
Facebook parent Meta has reportedly filed 15 interoperability requests through the European Union's Digital Market Act (DMA). The requests are intended to give competitors access to the technology to give them a level playing field, but Meta appears to be going further.
According to a report by Reuters, Apple shared a statement saying Meta is abusing the DMA compatibility request system. Meta has filed more requests than any other company, seeking deep access to Apple's proprietary systems.
The DMA is designed in such a way that Apple could face fines if it fails to comply with legitimate compatibility requests. Apple released a statement saying Meta is overdoing it.
“In many cases, Meta attempts to modify functionality in ways that raise privacy and security concerns for users, and these appear to be completely unrelated to the actual use of Meta external devices, such as Meta smart glasses and Meta Quests,” Apple said in a statement. “If Apple had to comply with all of these requests, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp could allow Meta to read every message and email on a user's device, see every phone call they make or receive, track every app 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 the 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 viewed the iPhone as a data treasure trove waiting to be plundered. It even tried to scan all internet communications through the VPNs it offered users, which clearly violated Apple's rules.
There has been no public statement from Meta or the European Union regarding Apple's report. With the EU considering fining Apple for DMA violations, it is unclear how it might respond to Meta's attempts to violate user privacy.
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