Tim Cook has called for “well-crafted” regulations on personal data collection. The Apple CEO expressed his concern for how personal data is being shared and manipulated in the wake of the Facebook data leak to a Cambridge Analytica.
“I think that this certain situation is so dire and has become so large that probably some well-crafted regulation is necessary. The ability of anyone to know what you’ve been browsing about for years, who your contacts are, who their contacts are, things you like and dislike and every intimate detail of your life — from my own point of view it shouldn’t exist,” said Cook.
Facebook is facing a massive backlash against its data practices after millions of user accounts were found to have been stolen and used to manipulate voters during the 2016 US Presidential Elections. Matters were made worse after the company failed to respond in a timely manner, and even then it’s apologies have drawn criticism.
On his part, Cook admits that Apple has long struggled with the idea of people simply giving up user information without bothering to find out what it’s being used for.
Cook’s concerns are unlikely to change much, seeing that legislation moves far too slowly to affect most technology companies. Countries like China, are more than happy to collect as much personal data as possible on their citizens. Going as far as to experiment with ways of using this information to nudge society in their preferred direction.
[Source: Bloomberg]
