Tim Cook Criticizes Pending Antitrust Regulations in U.S. and Europe

In a speech at the IAPP Global Privacy Summit in Washington, D.C., Apple CEO Tim Cook criticized pending antitrust regulation in the U.S. and Europe, saying that forcing Apple to allow ’sideloading’ on iPhones would hurt user privacy and security (via CNBC).

Cook highlighted how some of the proposed policies could lead to users getting tricked into installing malware and software that steals user data while citing reports of malicious apps on Android, which already allows sideloading.

“Here in Washington and elsewhere, policymakers are taking steps in the name of competition that would force Apple to let apps on the iPhone that circumvent the App Store through a process called sideloading,” Cook said.

“That means data-hungry companies would be able to avoid our privacy rules, and once again track our users against their will.”

Sideloading “would also potentially give bad actors a way around the comprehensive security protections we put in place,” Cook said Tuesday.

Apple has always maintained that allowing sideloading on iPhones and iPads would open up users to hackers and scammers who would invest in attacks that pretend to be legitimate, functional apps.