Apple Takes Strong Stance to Protect User Right to Privacy

During last week’s President Barack Obama’s cybersecurity summit, Apple CEO Tim Cook urged the government and other tech companies to protect consumer data and their right to privacy by choosing to work together more.

Mr. Cooks also underlined that the rights of customers were also the rights of citizens, so governments should focus on harnessing the technology and work together with tech companies to provide the best protections to their citizens.

Apple’s chief executive argued that “sacrificing a right to privacy can have dire consequences” in a world that still is very judgmental and doesn’t treat all people equally.

“If those of us in positions of responsibility fail to do everything in our power to protect the right of privacy, we risk something far more valuable than money. We risk our way of life. Fortunately, technology gives us the tools to avoid these risks. And it is my sincere hope that by using them and by working together, we will,”

Tim Cook said.

The President Obama’s cybersecurity summit took place Friday at Stanford University. Its main goal was to tighten the cooperative efforts between the government and companies in the fight against cyber attacks.

The President announced Friday that he planned to sign an order that would encourage the disclosure of details about cyberthreats among tech companies, as well as between those companies and the government.

Apple was the only one to take a strong stance to protect the right to privacy. Unlike other companies such as Facebook or Google, Apple doesn’t make revenue from selling user data for commercial purposes. But like Apple, Facebook and Google led fierce fights against government when asked to disclose private data. Google, Facebook and Yahoo weren’t represented during the meeting on Friday.

In September, Apple reassured its users that its devices and services were safe from the prying eyes of the governmental agencies, which had closed several backdoor deals with Microsoft, Google and Yahoo involving private users’ data disclosure.

Apple also told its customers that it had never delivered private data to the government, while its iOS8 was so safe that not even Apple had access to private data stored on the devices running it. Apple’s chief executive explained that it wasn’t “technically feasible” for his company to comply with governmental warrants for the disclosure of private data stored on devices powered by iOS8.

On Tuesday, Mr. Cook said during the Goldman Sachs technology meeting that Apple strongly believed that its customers had a right to privacy and differentiated its users from the products they use.

Image Source: Daily Entertainment News

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Anne-Marie Jackson

Anna grew up on a steady diet of 20th century literature, science-fiction movies and Viking lore. Unsurprisingly she turned into a technology geek with an inclination for history & fantasy.