Apple has issued a massive warning to all of its 1.46 billion iPhone users surrounding Google Chrome.
The tech giant has put up billboards around the world to promote its Safari search app, promoting it as a “browser that’s truly private.”
Although the ad didn’t mention Google Chrome by name, it’s the most downloaded search browser for smartphones — beating out Safari by more than two million.
While the billboard is a jab at Google, the company revealed earlier this year that it collects data from everyone who uses Chrome.
Apple has urged users to switch to Safari due to security concerns related to Google Chrome
Apple has been promoting the security of its own Safari browser – which has nearly one billion users worldwide – on billboards around the world to discourage people from using the Chrome alternative, which has an estimated 3.4 billion users.
The ad was spotted in cities like San Francisco, London and Paris, to countries as far-flung as Singapore and Australia, where people saw it on billboards, public transport and public buildings.
“Interesting to know it’s not just in Singapore,” one person responded to a post from someone who saw the ad in Australia.
“On the contrary, imho [in my honest opinion] It’s good idea. It’s a new way of advertising.
“Some people will be curious. Especially those who are not in the Apple ecosystem and may not know what Safari is.”
Another person commented on the billboard in San Francisco, writing: ‘Seeing Google settle a lawsuit for its incognito not being so incognito, there’s literally no doubt it’s being played with.’
Apple’s ads appear to warn people against using Google, which has faced repeated controversy over its Chrome browser storing cookies and search information.
“Google revealed earlier this year that it collects your data if you use Google Chrome, even when you’re in incognito mode,” Jake Moore, global security consultant at cybersecurity firm ESET, told Forbes.
“Personal data is so valuable to companies, and when the terms are so difficult to understand, it can be easy for users to simply allow companies to collect data at their will.”
However, a Google spokesperson told DailyMail.com that the company is trying to keep “people’s data safe by default and ensure that users can control when and how their data is used in Chrome to personalize their web browsing.”
“We believe users should always be in control, which is why we’ve built easy-to-use privacy and security settings right into Chrome.”
The ad was promoted in cities such as San Francisco, London and Paris to countries far and wide including Singapore (pictured) and Australia.
![Apple told users that it “respects [their] privacy' on a billboard promoting its Safari browser in Paris, France](https://lxgam.xyz/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1719534958_572_Apple-issues-massive-Google-Chrome-warning-to-all-146-billion.jpeg)
Apple told users that it “respects [their] privacy’ on a billboard promoting its Safari browser in Paris, France
The company’s Google Chrome 125 update had nine security flaws after it warned that the flaw would allow a remote attacker to add custom code using an HTML page to destabilize a person’s browser.
A 2020 class-action lawsuit also alleged that Google improperly tracked users’ browsing habits when they thought they were visiting websites privately.
Google finally settled a lawsuit in April that demanded it delete billions of data records that showed users’ private browsing activities, and the company will have to allow people who use incognito to block third-party cookies.
“The settlement requires Google to erase and correct data it has improperly collected in the past on an unprecedented scale and scope,” David Boies, an attorney in the lawsuit, told ABC News.