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Mark Zuckerberg
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Mark Zuckerberg calls Apple’s App Store rules a ‘conflict of interest’, echoing criticism from Elon Musk

  • The Meta Platforms CEO said during a New York Times conference that it is ‘problematic’ for one company to control app experiences
  • Zuckerberg also addressed rival TikTok at the event, saying its ByteDance ownership raises ‘real questions’ about the influence of China’s government

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Andrew Ross Sorkin speaks with Meta CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg during The New York Times DealBook Summit in the Appel Room at the Jazz At Lincoln Center on November 30, 2022 in New York City. Photo: AFP
Bloomberg
Meta Platforms Inc chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg said that Apple Inc’s App Store presents a conflict of interest, adding his voice to a flurry of criticism of the iPhone maker’s software policies.

“It is problematic for one company to be able to control what app experiences end up on a device,” Zuckerberg said Wednesday in an interview at the New York Times DealBook conference. The “vast majority of profits in mobile ecosystem go toward Apple”, he added.

App store policies and fees implemented by Apple, and to a lesser extent Google parent Alphabet Inc, have long been a point of contention for technology companies looking to reach broad mobile audiences. Billionaire Elon Musk added to the chorus after his acquisition of Twitter Inc, sending a flurry of tweets this week denouncing Apple’s fees and restrictions on what apps can be sold.

Zuckerberg echoed some of Musk’s points. He called Apple’s content moderation rules for apps a “conflict of interest” since they are often pointed at rivals. It makes Apple “not just a governor looking out for people’s interests”. Revenue at Meta, which owns social networks Facebook and Instagram, has taken a hit since Apple tightened its privacy policies to restrict how users can be tracked and targeted with advertising.

Though Zuckerberg seemed to back up his objection to Apple’s policies, Musk on Wednesday walked back some of his criticism of the iPhone maker, saying he met with CEO Tim Cook at the company’s headquarters and had a “good conversation” that resolved a “misunderstanding” about Twitter’s place in the App Store.

As for Musk’s approach to running Twitter, Zuckerberg hedged his comments – he said he guesses that some approaches will work and others won’t. “I think it’ll be very interesting to see how this plays out,” he said.

On whether Meta would allow former US president Donald Trump back onto Facebook, Zuckerberg didn’t answer, but pointed to prior guidance the company has got from its external Oversight Board, weighing in on difficult content decisions. Meta is expected to make a decision in January.

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