Apple and Google fought the law, Apple and Google won
European governments, traditionally siding against big tech, caved to Apple and Google’s terms for contact-tracing apps which will be released in major cities across Europe. Politico reports in-depth on how the companies flexed a “take-it-or-leave-it-approach,” developing their software that will affect how government-backed apps work without their advisement.
Governments wanted centralized data storage; the companies wanted the data to remain on citizens’ smartphones in order to safeguard from potential government spying. According to officials who spoke with Politico, Germany moved to Apple and Google’s approach, and various countries followed, “realizing it would be better to partner with the tech giants, and the Germans, if these coronavirus apps were to take off across the EU.” France and the UK have reportedly chosen to stick to centralized data collection, but their apps may not work properly on smartphones, and the UK has created a contingency plan to switch to Apple and Google’s system.
Keeping data out of governments’ hands is probably a good thing. But ironically, Apple and Google’s privacy advocacy reinforces their overwhelming power to decide what happens with our data.
