I’m traveling today – consider this brief post a placeholder of sorts. I’ve long railed against the privatization of public space, and the hidden regulation inherent in the submission of our collective personal data to the black boxes of Big Tech. With that in mind, I’m watching this story, about Apple’s refusal to roll out its new Siri AI service in Europe. Despite its characterization as a “spat,” there are far larger issues at play.
At the heart of the matter is a fundamental disagreement about who has agency over personal data that is created on our phones and other digital devices. Apple insists it should have control over how that data is leveraged by AI agents, and that the EU’s regulatory framework, known as the Digital Markets Act, hinders Apple’s ability to protect its customers’ privacy. The EU believes the job of protecting consumers privacy – and our rights regarding how our data is exploited – is a matter best handled by the public through collective government.
In short, Apple claims that the EU’s onerous regulations give the company no choice but to withhold its recently announced upgrades to Siri in the EU. Seen from space (and the laissez faire shores of the United States), it’s a compelling story. But if you examine Apple’s business incentives, a less flattering narrative is at play. The DMA requires interoperability – Apple must grant independent developers access to iPhone consumers, with consumers’ permission, of course. That opens the door to competition, which Apple would prefer to avoid.
Apple is betting that consumers would prefer their regulation come in the form of a profit-driven private corporation, rather than a democratically elected public government. And that is a story to watch.
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