Cybersecurity Summit: Apple CEO defends consumer privacy
Palo Alto, Calif. -- Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, gave a robust defense of consumer privacy in remarks during the Feb. 13 White House Summit on Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection. The Apple chief also gave some insight into what the tech giant sees as the future of digital transactions: Shorter term, look for Apple Pay to become integrated with federal transactions and benefit programs. Longer term, Cook imagines a world where your passport and driver’s license are securely available with a tap of your smartphone.
Cook defended the consumer’s right to privacy and security during his address.
“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,” he said. “We risk our way of life.”
Cook noted that history has shown the consequences that come with sacrificing the right to privacy.
“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,” Cook said.
Cook highlighted the steps Apple takes to ensure consumer privacy and security.
“Apple doesn’t monetize data we collect from the iPhone or iCloud,” he said. “When we ask for your data, it’s to provide better services, but you’re still in the driver’s seat. You decide when you share data and how much.”
Apple also uses both hardware and software encryption, as well as 24-hour live security monitoring teams. Cook said Apple is vigilant in the face of identity theft becoming one of the fastest-growing crimes in the U.S., victimizing 13 million consumers in 2013.
“We know hackers are doing everything they can do to steal your data,” said Cook. He described the Apple Pay digital payment service, officially launched in September 2013, as a step forward in consumer privacy and security.
“Apple Pay significantly more secure than the old days of plastic cards and magnetic stripes,” stated Cook. “Security is part of the reason we developed in the first place.”
Actual credit card numbers are never stored to the device or any server when consumers add cards to Apple Pay. A unique one-time code is generated for each transaction, only good for the user’s Apple Pay device, with no transaction details stored by Apple.
Along with making Apple Pay available for many federal government transactions, Apple is also working on making Apple Pay compatible with cards issued to government employees for their expenses, as well as compatible with Social Security and veterans pensions.
“In the future, it would be great to have personal identification like your passport and driver’s license digitally stored in a way that is safe, secure, and easily accessible by you,” said Cook. “We shouldn’t have to trade security for convenience of having all this information at our fingertips.”
In fact, Cook said that a secure, digitally enabled world will actually offer much more data protection and privacy than the current data security environment.
“Criminals will find it more difficult to carry out their crimes,” he concluded.