Apple CEO "Tim Cook": Social Media Responsible for "Algorithm-Driven" Misinformation

As in today’s time 99% of News, Information, Knowledge depend upon Social Media, so Misinformation too. Apple CEO Tim Cook reacted to the business models of Facebook and YouTube, where he said Social Media is responsible for Miscommunication and Misinformation and it’s the biggest threat to our society.

He did not name the companies by name, but in a speech, Thursday (28th January 2021) condemned social media services for offering fake news and fringe ideas to keep users hooked.

Tim Cook said during a virtual appearance at the Computers, Privacy, and Data Protection conference in Brussels.

"At a time of rampant disinformation and algorithm-driven conspiracy theories, we can no longer turn a blind eye to a theory of technology that says that every compromise is a good compromise,"

and "Technology does not need large amounts of personal data, bundled on dozens of websites and applications, to be successful"

In a similar speech that he made in 2018, where he talked about the recommendation algorithms of the major Internet platforms, and according to him those algorithms helped to spread the misinformation to users.

On Thursday, Cook went further to connect social media services to fuel violence in the real world, an apparent reference to Trump supporters who stormed the United States Capitol on January 6.

"It is time to stop pretending that this approach does not come at a cost: polarization, loss of trust, and, yes, violence," he said. "You cannot allow a social dilemma to turn into a social catastrophe."

Apple has been facing a dispute with Facebook over digital privacy. Therefore Apple has also updated their algorithm to save society and Its People, in an update which has been made in Apple's iOS 14 requires app developers to review how they collect personal data from users. And they will have to ask users for permission to run targeted ads.

Facebook is not a fan of change; and has been protesting the iOS 14 requirement, arguing that it will cripple the company's ability to serve relevant business ads on iPhone's. Facebook is so upset that it could fight back with an antitrust lawsuit.