Sideloading Bill Would Allow ‘Malware, Scams and Data-Exploitation to Proliferate,’ Says Apple

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee will on Thursday consider the Open Markets Act, an antitrust bill that would allow for sideloading and alternate app stores.

Ahead of the meeting, Apple’s head of government affairs in the Americas Tim Powderly sent a letter to committee members, urging them to reject the bill, reports Bloomberg. Powderly repeated a privacy and security argument that Apple executives have made many times before about the dangers of sideloading.

Sideloading would enable bad actors to evade Apple’s privacy and security protections by distributing apps without critical privacy and security checks. These provisions would allow malware, scams and data-exploitation to proliferate.

He also said that Apple is “deeply concerned” that the legislation in its current form would also “make it easier for big social media platforms to avoid the pro-consumer practices of Apple’s App Store.”

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee already discussed the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, another antitrust bill introduced in June 2021, which Apple also spoke out against. Despite Apple’s protests, the bill was approved and will move on to the Senate floor for a vote. It is likely that the Open Markets Act will join it.