Apple Has Just Bought A Privacy Domain, What Is It Planning?

Soon, the talk over privacy in technology will become even hotter.

Amid the controversies, it looks like Apple has just acquired the web address PrivacyIsImportant.com. The purchase took place on March 4, as revealed in public registration records. For now, there is nothing posted on the site.

The domain purchase was first spotted by MacRumors. Apple didn’t respond to a comment request immediately.

If the company is really planning something, that is likely to aim at its ongoing market over its offerings such as Mac computers and the iPhone. Back in January, at the Consumer Electrics Show, Apple set up a giant billboard that said: “What happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone.”

The billboard Apple set up near during CES 2019

Apple has made this move in a time when the public is all over privacy issues with several scandals surfacing. Governments are trying to get their hands on encrypted messages on Signal, WhatsApp, and other apps through court battles and potential legislation. Their argument is that privacy is actually not that important.

Meanwhile, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg had to appear before the Congress for a hearing on their failure to protect user data privacy.

The privacy debate has split the tech industry into two sides. One including Facebook and Google, who make the most money from user data through tracking, collecting their information and use that for ad targeting.  On the other side, we have tech firms like Microsoft that considers privacy as a human right.

Tim Cook

Apple has joined Microsoft’s side and taken actions against Facebook and Google. For instance, in 2018, the iPhone maker said that its browser Safari can prevent Facebook from tracking users without their awareness.

Last week, Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, echoed Nadella’s sentiment during his speech at Apple shareholder meeting to push on privacy problems.