Apple CEO Tim Cook Expected to Back Strong Privacy Laws in Europe, US

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook is expected to stress the iPhone maker's commitment to privacy and backing for strong laws on both sides of the Atlantic to protect the use of data, according to remarks prepared for delivery at a Brussels event.

Issues over how data is used and how consumers can protect their personal information have come under the spotlight recently following massive breaches of data privacy involving millions of internet and social media users in Europe and the United States.

Cook, the keynote speaker at the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners on Wednesday, will be one of several executives from US tech companies to present their views at the two-day event.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai will also share their thoughts via video messages.

Apple views privacy as a "fundamental human right", Cook will say.

"We will never achieve technology's true potential without the full faith and confidence of the people who use it," he will say.

Cook also endorsed a comprehensive federal privacy law in the United States, the strongest statement by Apple to date.

Other US tech giants such as Amazon, Alphabet, AT&T, Charter Communications and Twitter have said they would back new federal privacy regulations.

© Thomson Reuters 2018