Apple, Facebook in face-off over user privacy

The two of the biggest tech companies in the world Apple and Facebook are at each other's throats and on the verge of a legal face-off over user privacy.

However, privacy is just the ostensible reason - the real one is money.

The result of the great tech war will dictate the future not just of these companies, but also of technology and how we use it because the world is dependent on their gadgets and apps.

Apple and Facebook are fighting each other to dictate how the user will use their services. It is not a new battle. It's been brewing beneath the surface for almost a decade now.

It is now that it has come to a head. The issue escalated on Thursday after Apple announced key changes to its software. It will upgrade its devices like the iPhone and the iPad.

The upgrades could arrive in spring and it will add new features that will tell users which app is gathering what data on you, in other words, the Apple upgrades will expose the apps that snoop on you.

On its website, Apple has illustrated how these new features will work. If an app is tracking your contact info, your location, your financial details, your purchases, your browsing history--- what you search you will get to know about it. Apple will tell you which app is tracking you and how. It will break down the information for you which should be good news for all users.

It's not good news for Facebook because now, users will know what Facebook is tracking and now, Facebook will need your permission before collecting your data which is bad enough for Facebook, however, what's worse is that Apple is making an example of it.

Apple is using Facebook in illustrations to show how the new features would look to describe how its devices can stop data theft. A user will get a prompt their screen telling them that Facebook or any other app wants to track the activity on other websites and apps. A user will get two options - allow the tracking, or deny it.

It means that Apple has declared a war on Facebook's data gathering. However, Apple is not doing to service users, in fact, it is only helping itself making a virtue out of a business plan.

Apple's CEO Tim Cook spoke about it. He, however, did not mention Facebook but criticised the business practices that Facebook has pioneered over the years.

"If a business is built on misleading users, on data exploitation, on choices that are no choices at all, then it does not deserve our praise. It deserves reform. We should not look away from the bigger picture. At a moment of rampant disinformation and conspiracy theories juiced by algorithms, we can no longer turn a blind eye to a theory of technology that says all engagement is good engagement, the longer, the better, and all with the goal of collecting as much data as possible," Tim Cook said.

Apple however is not doing public service, it is fighting a corporate battle and Facebook is fighting back whoever wins, will dictate terms to users. Last month, Facebook ran attack ads in three American newspapers. Facebook plastered its criticism of Apple on front pages and now, it wants to drag Apple to court.

Facebook is mulling a lawsuit. According to a report, Facebook has brought in outside legal counsel. The lawsuit could be about the app store. Facebook wants to sue Apple over what it calls "anti-competitive actions". It accuses Apple of giving preferential treatment to Apple's apps. It says Apple is restricting outside developers like Facebook but before the matter reaches court, Facebook has begun fighting Apple on the internet.

The social media giant has built a website which names Apple. There are testimonies from small business owners. They are voicing their concerns over the changes Apple is about to make to its software.

Mark Zuckerberg has entered the battlefield himself. He was recently on a conference call with Wall Street analysts. He went that's Apple's messaging app which is available only in the Apple ecosystem - only those who have iPhones and iPads can connect on i-message not Android users.

On Wednesday, Zuckerberg said in a conference call with Wall Street analysts that he viewed Apple as one of Facebook’s “biggest competitors.” He cited i-message, Apple’s iPhone-specific texting service, as an existential threat to Facebook’s social networking services.

He added that Apple had “every incentive to use their dominant platform position” to interfere with Facebook and other apps. Apple regularly treats its own apps more favourably in the app store, he said.

He may have a point, unfortunately, he doesn't have the sympathies of users and lawmakers because of his policies.

Facebook and Apple are two of America's most valuable companies - one is a social network, the other makes consumer electronics.They are not direct competitors but clearly, they are now sworn enemies.