Government regulation is needed to protect the privacy of internet users. That is what Apple CEO Tim Cook says in an interview with the channel ABC News.

It is not the first time that Cook has argued for such legislation. Earlier, he called the data collection by commercial companies “espionage”. “Privacy has become a crisis,” he says.

“The people who follow you on the internet know much more than someone who looks in through the window,” Cook said, “because you put your thoughts online, what you think about something.”

The Apple boss acknowledges that apps are being sold in the iTunes Store that does the data collection that he himself is so opposed to. In addition, the Apple products are also equipped with a Google browser as standard and, like Facebook, Google earns a lot of money by collecting and selling the information they have collected about users. “We chose Google because it is the best browser,” Cook responds. According to him, however, consumers are entitled to both the best browser and privacy.

Unlike Google and Facebook, Apple is not about selling advertisements. “You are not our product. Our products are iPhones and iPads,” explains the Apple boss. “We cherish your data. We want to help you keep your data private and secure. We’re on your side.” For example, Apple has installed features to protect the privacy of consumers while surfing.

According to Cook, it is not intended that users spend too much time on their iPhone. “If you use it too often, there is probably something that we must do to make your use more productive,” he says.