Apple CEO Tim Cook has warned of "dire consequences" if tech companies can't protect the privacy of those who use their products.
Giving up our privacy to digital technologies exposes us to greater risks than just identity theft and financial losses -- serious though those things are, Cook said in a brief speech at a cybersecurity summit in Silicon Valley on Friday.
"History has shown us that sacrificing our right to privacy can have dire consequences," Cook said.
"We still live in a world where all people are not treated equally. Too many people do not feel free to practice their religion or express their opinion or love who they choose -- or love who they choose," he repeated for emphasis, "in a world in which that information can make the difference between life or death."
He may have been alluding to oppressive regimes that punish citizens for political beliefs or their sexual orientation. But speaking to an audience that includes U.S. policy makers, Cook's remarks are also a reminder of the government's need to protect privacy as it conducts its digital surveillance campaigns.
"If those of us in positions of responsibility fail to do everything in our power to protect the right of privacy, we risk something far more valuable than money. We risk our way of life," he said.
Cook spoke at a summit convened by the White House, where President Barack Obama was expected to sign an executive order later Friday making it easier for the government to share sensitive information about cyberthreats with the private sector.
Google, Microsoft and other big tech companies sent representatives to the summit, but Apple was the only one that sent its CEO, possibly reflecting divisions between Silicon Valley and the U.S. government over its surveillance programs.
Cook spoke for only 12 minutes but crammed a lot in. He took a jab at companies like Google and Facebook whose business models are based largely on personal data they collect about their users.
"We have a business model that focuses on selling the best products and services in the world, not on selling your personal data," Cook said.
Apple's products are built with security in mind from their inception, he said.
Still, Apple has been far from perfect in protecting privacy. Its iCloud service was hacked last year and nude photographs of dozens of celebrities were stolen and posted on the Internet. Apple had to strengthen its security afterwards to try to prevent a repeat.
Cook also plugged Apple Pay, which he presented as a more secure alternative to debit cards. Starting in September, he said, people will be able to use the mobile payment service for certain federal government transactions, like gaining access to national parks.
"We can imagine a day in the not distant future when the wallet becomes a remnant of the past," Cook said.
Until then, the threat of identity theft and financial crimes remains very real. "The personal impact of these security breaches can be devastating," Cook said.
James Niccolai covers data centers and general technology news for IDG News Service. Follow James on Twitter at @jniccolai. James's e-mail address is james_niccolai@idg.com
Many marketing leaders are scrambling to give their people more flexible work. And they need to: PWC’s Future of Work report showed 90 per cent of staff want some form of hybrid or remote workplace.
Your success as a senior marketing professional has much in common with your success as a leader. Both marketing, and leadership activities, depend on building trust, encouraging action, and reliably fulfilling promises that have been made.
Between further interest rate rises, inflation, empty shelves, extortionate lettuce prices, supply chain issues and the barely believable events in Eastern Europe, the past six months there’s been a cacophony of environmental factors.
Invest and earn with Coinbloc .us. Guaranteed Weekly ROI, early signals, fast withdrawals among others. I recommend Coinbloc .us as on...
Hans Jensen
Explainer: What marketers need to know about cryptocurrency
Investment decisions are a big deal, so why not get some guidance? You can day-trade cryptos, BUY and HOLD and evaluate the assets with f...
Dave Sigurd
Gartner: Digital isn't enough of a superpower for CMOs anymore
I normally don’t feel comfortable investing online but because the company I worked for downsized due to the pandemic and I was one of th...
Dave Sigurd
CMO's top 8 martech stories for the week - 9 June 2022
Investment decisions are a big deal, so why not get some guidance? You can day-trade cryptos, BUY and HOLD and evaluate the assets with f...
Dave Sigurd
Creating a marketplace for wellness
A solution for an retail industry data extraction. https://e-scraper.com/usefu...
"e-Scraper" Data Extracting
Catchoftheday launches fee-based online shopping club