Apple warns DMA interoperability requirements threaten privacy safeguards

The US technology company Apple has said that the European Commission's "aggressive interpretation" of the new Digital Markets Act (DMA) could force the company to remove critical privacy and security safeguards intended to protect users. 

In its formal response to joint guidelines clarifying the interaction between the DMA and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Apple warned that the Commission is viewing the regulations primarily through a competition lens while overlooking the risks to personal data. As such, the company is concerned that the DMA mandates the removal of critical safeguards, for example, by requiring unrestricted third-party access to users' sensitive information through an interoperability mandate.

Apple, which claims privacy is a fundamental human right, has urged the Commission to work with the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), whose expertise it believes has not been sufficiently consulted or considered. The company underscored the need for clear guidelines to balance competition regulation with privacy and security. It also warned that the guidelines are "gravely incomplete" and must be updated to address the future challenges and privacy risks posed by AI.

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