Apple tells Senate privacy is a ‘fundamental human right’

By

Apple
Bud Tribble has been with Apple longer than any other employee.
Photo: CSPAN

Apple’s VP of software technology, Bud Tribble, made an appearance before the U.S. Senate’s Commerce Committee today to advocate for an overhaul of privacy laws in the country.

During the hearing, Apple was joined by other figures from tech giants like Google, Amazon, Twitter, and others to advise lawmakers on the current state of internet privacy. Tribble told lawmakers that Apple views privacy as a “fundamental human right,” but the company went short of offering solutions.

The Commerce Committee has been tasked with developing national protections that would ensure citizens have the ability to access personal information acquired by companies and delete it if they want. The movement is partially in response to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law in the EU that went into effect earlier this year.

Apple wants more privacy protections

Tribble told members of the committee that Apple wants its devices to know everything about a user, but believes it should automatically be walled off from access to that confidential data.

“To Apple, privacy means much more than having the right to not share your personal information. Privacy is about putting the user in control when it comes to that information,” said Tribble. “That means that users can decide whether to share personal information and with whom. It means that they understand how that information will be used. Ultimately, privacy is about living in a world where you can trust that your decisions about how your personal information is shared and used are being respected. We believe that privacy is a fundamental human right, which should be supported by both social norms and the law.”

Apple hopes that other companies adopt its policy to not hoard private info on their servers. A full copy of Tribble’s opening remarks can be read online.

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.