Tech

Mark Zuckerberg was ready to slam Apple if Congress asked him about Tim Cook's privacy comments

Key Points
  • The Facebook CEO was ready to criticize Apple in his testimony in Congress over the Cambridge Analytica data scandal.
  • Apple CEO Tim Cook has criticized Facebook for its data practices.
  • Zuckerberg's preparatory notes for the testimony were posted online after a photographer caught a snap of them.
  • If Zuckerberg was asked about Cook's comments, the notes urged him to point towards "lots of stories about apps misusing Apple data."
Facebook co-founder, Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a combined Senate Judiciary and Commerce committee hearing in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill April 10, 2018 in Washington, DC.
Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Apple CEO Tim Cook have exchanged words over privacy during the last few weeks — in a battle that could be set to continue.

It started when Cook was asked what he would do if he were faced with the problems facing Facebook after the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

"I wouldn't be in this situation," Cook said in an interview with Recode's Kara Swisher and MSNBC's Chris Hayes last month. The Apple CEO questioned the practise of monetizing user data on social media platforms.

Zuckerberg then hit back days later, saying that the service should be free.

"You know, I find that argument, that if you're not paying that somehow we can't care about you, to be extremely glib. And not at all aligned with the truth," Zuckerberg said in an "Ezra Klein Show" podcast published Monday by Vox.

There hasn't been much else said since then, but Zuckerberg was ready to take on Apple if lawmakers asked him about it during his testimony on Tuesday in front of the Senate Judiciary and Commerce committees.

Zuckerberg avoids regulatory promises in congressional hearing
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Zuckerberg avoids regulatory promises in congressional hearing

That is according to his notes, which were photographed by Associated Press photojournalist Andy Harnik and posted online by a CBS editor, Stefan Becket.

One section of the notes was entitled "Tim Cook on big model."

The first bullet point referenced a quote from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos about working hard to charge users less money. The second point urged Zuckerberg to make the point that Facebook is free.

But then the notes prepared the Facebook CEO to attack Apple's track record with apps.

"Lots of stories about apps misusing Apple data, never seen Apple notify people," the notes said without elaborating.

Apple was not eventually mentioned in the testimony.

An Apple spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

Below is a full copy of the notes.

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