Facebook BANNED its employees from using iPhones, after row with Apple over privacy

FACEBOOK has admitted that it encourages its employees to use Android phones rather than iPhones, after a New York Times investigation revealed that it had banned its management team from using Apple-made smartphones.

The ban reportedly came in response to criticism of the social network from Apple boss Tim Cook, while the investigation also claimed that Facebook had been behind a smear campaign aimed at discrediting Apple and other rivals.

Back in April, an interview with Tim Cook was aired in which the Apple CEO said, "We could make a ton of money if we monetized our customers, if our customers were our product. We’ve elected not to do that […] We’re not going to traffic in your personal life. Privacy to us is a human right, a civil liberty."

His comments were a clear dig at Facebook, which for months had been embroiled in a variety of scandals related to privacy, data-gathering, security, and fake news.

Well, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg apparently didn't take too kindly to such criticism, because a New York Times  has reported that he privately retaliated by ordering his executives and managers to use only Android devices.

And in its to this investigation, Facebook has acknowledged that it does encourage its employees to use Android smartphones.

"Tim Cook has consistently criticized our business model and Mark has been equally clear he disagrees," said Facebook's press release.

"And we’ve long encouraged our employees and executives to use Android because it is the most popular operating system in the world."

Such an admission comes amid revelations that Facebook had responded to the scandals and criticism it had faced over the past couple of years by launching an aggressive lobbying campaign.

According to the New York Times, Facebook hired Definers Public Affairs – a Washington-based PR consultancy – to lobby on its behalf, and to hit back at its critics.

Definers is an affiliate of the NTK Network, a news website that went on to post "dozens of articles" criticising Tim Cook, as well as criticising Facebook's biggest rival, Google.

One particular article lambasted Cook for being hypocritical in its criticism of Facebook's record on privacy, arguing that Apple also gathers masses of user data.

Responding to these allegations, Facebook denied that it had ever directed Definers Public Affairs to write news stories aimed at smearing its critics.

"[W]e wanted to address the issue of Definers, who we ended our contract with last night. The New York Times is wrong to suggest that we ever asked Definers to pay for or write articles on Facebook’s behalf – or to spread misinformation."

What do you think about this latest revelation? Let us know in the comments.

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