Exclusive: Facebook says it has denied Apple’s attempts to tell users about App Store fees

(Reuters) – Facebook Inc. told Reuters on Thursday that Apple Inc. was trying to tell it that the iPhone maker would take a 30% cut in sales in a new online event feature, and Facebook forced the message to remove to get the tool for users.

Facebook said Apple was citing an App Store rule that barred developers from “irrelevant” information to users.

“Now more than ever, we need to have the option to help people understand where the money they are aiming for for small businesses actually goes. Unfortunately, Apple denied our transparency announcement about its 30% tax, but we’re still working to make this information available in the app experience, ”Facebook said in a statement.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

Facebook said earlier this month that it planned to launch a new tool that would allow online influencers and other paid businesses to organize online events as a way to lose revenue lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company said that Apple had asked Apple to waive the 30% fee charged by the iPhone maker for in-app purchases so that Facebook could pass on all proceeds from the events to business owners, but that Apple refused .

Facebook intended to give a note about Apple’s cuts to users, according to mock-ups they released at the time, but Reuters found Thursday that the promised message was not present about the function of new events.

The social media giant also planned to tell users in Alphabet Inc’s Google Play Store that it would not collect any fees for ticket sales, but that message was also not displayed, Reuters found.

In public criticism of Apple’s App Store commissions, Facebook has joined other developers, such as ‘Fortnite’ creator Epic Games, who is suing Apple over allegations of anti-trust over the fees. Facebook is also wrestling with Apple over new privacy rules for iPhones that need more notifications before users follow across apps.

Both companies, along with fellow tech giants Alphabet and Amazon, face multiple probes over alleged competitive behavior.