Bill focuses on Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store
Today it’s just a bill on Capital Hill. Tomorrow, it could be a law
The Open Markets Act would give developers the right to inform consumers about lower-priced in-app purchasing options, protect sideloading of apps, and more. The bottom line is that it would give consumers more control over their devices, stop app stores from taking advantage of app developers and sets rules that seek to protect the privacy, security, and safety of consumers.
A number of influential tech and consumer groups have approved the Open Markets Act. Sumit Sharma, Senior Researcher, Technology Competition at Consumer Reports said, “The targeted market rules proposed in this legislation will help create an app ecosystem that is fairer and more competitive, and will enable unfettered innovation by all companies – big and small – to the benefit of consumers. The legislation is crucial as smartphones have become central to our digital ecosystem, and apps are increasingly the primary mode for consumers to access online services.”
Others also heaped praise on the bill such as Jon Schweppe, director of policy and government affairs, American Principles Project. He said, “A healthy free market requires open and fair competition. Unfortunately, Big Tech companies have rigged the game by engaging in anti-competitive practices that restrict the ability for innovators and entrepreneurs to challenge their market dominance.
This not only distorts the free market at large, but it harms consumers directly. The Open App Markets Act gets to the heart of the problem with the app store market: Google and Apple have leveraged their market power to prevent any of their competitors from achieving a foothold, resulting in higher prices and a lack of choices for consumers. Sen. Blackburn deserves a great deal of credit for taking on this challenging issue and doing so in a bipartisan manner. American Principles Project is proud to support the bill.”
How would Apple respond to a law that forced it to allow sideloading on iOS?
We have to wonder how Apple would respond to a law that would require it to allow sideloading of apps from third-party app stores. Apple has always cited the security, safety, and privacy of iOS to prevent sideloading on the operating system. We will keep a close eye on this bill and see what happens as it makes it way around the institutions of Washington D.C.
