The US Department of Justice is reportedly looking into the “Sign in with Apple” feature following complaints from developers.
The United States Department of Justice is investigating developer complaints about the Cupertino company’s “Sign in with Apple” option.
As reported by The Information , the department wants to know if the “Sign in with Apple” button makes it more difficult for users to migrate to another platform , such as Android or Windows. While some congressmen praise Apple for its privacy efforts, others believe the company has abused its control over its device software to harm its competitors.
Sources in the report said that some developers began filing complaints about the login button to US investigators last summer. “Sign in with Apple” was introduced in 2019 as a simple and secure way to create an account on apps and websites using only an Apple ID.
However, while using “Sign in with Apple” in iOS and Mac apps is somewhat optional for developers, the company forces them to use their own solution if the app already offers access via Facebook, Google or others. services. Two developers told the DOJ that they removed all login buttons from their apps just because they didn’t want to adopt Apple’s button.
Representatives of two iPhone app developers who complained to DOJ investigators about Apple’s requirements told The Information that after the company made the login button mandatory, they removed all login buttons from the their apps because they didn’t want to include those from Apple and to get information about their customers.
These developers told investigators that the Apple button “cuts them off their users” and that it is another method the company uses to tighten its control over its mobile devices.
Other developers find “Sign in with Apple” to be a great feature as it is convenient for users, but at the same time strengthens Apple’s power over developers . A spokesperson for the company declined to comment on the antitrust investigation and reiterated that the login feature ensures the privacy of user data .
The Justice Department has not yet decided whether to sue Apple and that decision could take months. Facebook and Google are also facing antitrust investigations and lawsuits have already been filed against them.
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