Facebook is reportedly planning to take Apple to court with an antitrust lawsuit. The reason for this step is, among other things, Apple's planned "App Tracking Transparency" feature.
The Information reports that Facebook is working with outside counsel to prepare an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the company "abuses its power in the smartphone market by forcing app developers to follow App Store rules that Apple's own apps do not have to follow."
“App Tracking Transparency” feature plays an essential role
Citing people familiar with the matter, the report said Facebook's lawsuit will likely focus in part on changes Apple introduced in iOS 14. This includes the "App Tracking Transparency" feature that will be activated in the coming months and will require users to allow apps to track them. From the report shows:
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is trying to build a comprehensive legal case arguing that Apple's rules for app developers - which, for example, force them to use Apple's in-app payment service - make it harder to compete with Apple in areas such as gaming, messaging and shopping.
Facebook's own lawsuit, if it goes ahead, is expected to focus in part on the last major update Apple made to its mobile operating system, iOS 14, which rolled out in September, according to two people familiar with the matter.
According to the report, there is a possibility that the social media giant will ultimately file an antitrust lawsuit against Apple. However, according to the report, not all employees are enthusiastic about Facebook's plan.
Personal data: Apple accuses Facebook of collecting data
Internally, however, Facebook employees have expressed skepticism about waging a high-profile battle against Apple, according to four people familiar with the matter. Some employees are concerned that Facebook is not a compelling victim, given the company's own legal troubles and mishandling of user data.
Nonetheless, it shouldn't necessarily be surprising that Facebook is at least considering the possibility of taking Apple to court. Last month, the company offered to help Epic Games in its fight against Apple by providing internal documents. Facebook and Apple have been engaged in a public battle over privacy for years. Apple has criticized Facebook for collecting "as much data as possible from users" and has touted its privacy-focused features as a way to "stand up for our users" against companies like Facebook. Meanwhile, Facebook criticized Apple with a full-page ad in US newspapers over its new App Store policies. Just yesterday, Mark Zuckerberg accused Apple of having "incentives to interfere" with Facebook for competitive reasons. (Photo by porover / Bigstockphoto)
