Listen up Zuckerberg.
Apple co-founder Steve “Woz” Wozniak came out with a strong major message for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
“It should bother all of us how much data they had access to, like profile info that we think is private,” Wozniak wrote in an email to CNNMoney.
“My disgust goes to Facebook. But, like all of us, I clicked ‘Accept’ or ‘OK’ or something and gave it away to Facebook. I have always felt badly about social websites being able to sell my stuff, like my photos, and keeping all the money.”
In addition, he even went on to say that Apple is the far more secure technological superpower corporation.
“Apple makes its money off of good products, not off of you. As they say, with Facebook, you are the product,” Wozniak said.
This is pretty major news considering Apple and Facebook have generally coexisted peacefully over the years. Now, the relationship could definitely be impacted.
The move was sparked by Zuckerberg’s testimony before congressional committees about the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
For more insight into the case, the London-based data firm was tied to a number of political campaigns, most prominently President Donald Trump’s successful 2016 presidential campaign.
Ban
Facebook banned Cambridge Analytica from their site last month. However, the damage to the company’s reputation was done.
Wozniak is one of the most prominent personal computer pioneers of all time, so his comments are likely to have an impact.
The general sense from Wall Street analysts is that Facebook might face some calls for more regulation but few seem to think that Facebook and other social media companies will wind up getting hit with crippling new rules that could hurt profits.
Analysts are also betting that there won’t be much in the way of a user or advertiser fallout for Facebook either.
Investors in other social media stocks are enjoying a bump too.
Although Zuckerberg was sitting on a booster seat, his own shares in the company did increase in nearly $3 billion in value as he testified. One Twitter user pokes fun at Zuckerberg.
🤣🤣🤣Mark Zuckerberg brought his own fancy 4inch booster seat to the hearing.. The question is: Who did it better 😝?!? And Yes, I’m sitting on a phone book. #ZuckerbergHearing #MarkZuckerberg #Facebook pic.twitter.com/axSjALIDn3
— Stephanie Hamill (@STEPHMHAMILL) April 11, 2018
Probably one of Apple’s biggest mistakes over the past year was that it priced the new iPhone X at $1,000. That seems to be the upper limit for smartphone prices in a market where serviceable Android cost $200 and used iPhones about the same.
While Wozniak famously gave many of his own pre-IPO Apple stock options to fellow employees.
Wozniak famously gave many of his own pre-IPO Apple stock options to fellow employees, and he’s noted on his own site that he remains an Apple employee to this day and feels he represents the company when he makes appearances or gives interviews.
In short: While he certainly doesn’t have to worry about money, it’s good for him when Apple succeeds.
