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Apple chief Tim Cook calls for GDPR-style privacy in the US

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Apple chief executive Tim Cook praised EU privacy laws in a rare speech in Brussels today, and demanded that the US follow its lead.

Appearing at an international data protection conference, Cook said it was "time for the rest of the world" to get up to speed on data privacy with the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), adding: "We are in support of a comprehensive federal privacy law in the US".

He lambasted companies for misusing personal data, which he said is being "weaponised against us with military efficiency".

"We should celebrate the transformative work of the European institutions tasked with the successful implementation of the GDPR," he continued.

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"We also celebrate the new steps taken, not only here in Europe but around the world — in Singapore, Japan, Brazil, New Zealand. In many more nations regulators are asking tough questions — and crafting effective reform."

Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai will also appear at the same conference later this week with pre-recorded video messages.

GDPR gives the EU the power to fine companies that breach the regulation with fines of up to 4 per cent of global annual turnover, or €20m (£17.7m).