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U.S. Senate ‘Open Markets Act’ Sideloading Bill Would Allow ‘Malware, Scams and Data-Exploitation to Proliferate,’ Says Apple

U.S. Senate ‘Open Markets Act’ Sideloading Bill Would Allow ‘Malware, Scams and Data-Exploitation to Proliferate,’ Says Apple

On Thursday, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider the Open Markets Act, an antitrust bill that would allow for sideloading and alternate app stores.

Bloomberg reports that Apple’s head of government affairs in the Americas Tim Powderly has sent a letter to committee members, urging them to reject the bill. In the letter, Powderly said the bill, S. 2710, would harm user security and privacy, create expansive liability exposure and legal uncertainty, and would deny consumer choice.

The letter was sent to Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin and ranking Republican Chuck Grassley ahead of their committee’s discussion of the bill.

Sideloading would enable bad actors to evade Apple’s privacy and security protections by distributing apps without critical privacy and security checks. These provisions would allow malware, scams and data-exploitation to proliferate.

Powderly also said that Apple is “deeply concerned” that the legislation in its current form would also “make it easier for big social media platforms to avoid the pro-consumer practices of Apple’s App Store.”

The bill has bipartisan co-sponsors, giving it a reasonable chance of approval by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday. However, it could face a tougher fight in the full Senate.