The social networking giant is going up against the iPhone maker.
James Martin/CNET
Facebook wants to participate in Fortnite maker Epic Games‘ high profile lawsuit against Apple, providing what it says is information about how the iPhone and iPad maker’s policies hurt other businesses. The move was revealed the same day Facebook launched a nationwide print ad campaign criticizing Apple’s privacy policies.
“We think it’s really important that the court understand far reaching impact of Apple’s unfair policies,” Steve Satterfield, a director of privacy and public policy at Facebook, said during a conference call Wednesday.
Apple said Facebook’s executives want to collect as much information abut users as possible, without regard for user privacy. Epic didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Epic vs. Apple lawsuit heads to trial in 2021
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Facebook’s move to join in Epic’s fight against Apple could change the dynamic of how the public perceives these legal battles. Epic sued Apple in August over the up to 30% commissions Apple charges for purchases people make in apps like Fortnite.
Epic positioned its legal battle against Apple as a fight over the way app stores and internet games work, with wide-reaching ramifications for the future of the tech industry. But many users and industry analysts saw the suit as an expensive slap fight between a multi-billion dollar company and a multi-trillion dollar company.
Whether Facebook’s participation in the lawsuit will change that is yet to be seen. Epic and Apple’s legal battle is slated to go before a jury next year.
