Facebook tries to warn users about Apple 'tax,' Apple says no

Apple and Facebook are clashing heads again.

Facebook recently tried to inform its users that Apple is taking a 30 percent cut on Facebook's online events app, but Apple rejected the update, Reuters reported Friday.

In fact, Apple said no to Facebook twice.

First, the social network asked Apple to waive its 30 percent fee, which it charges on in-app purchases, on Facebook's upcoming tool that would let users host paid online events. The idea behind the request was to offset losses incurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, so Facebook wanted to pass on all revenue to users, but Apple declined.

Then, Facebook planned to launch the app with a notice saying that Apple has declined to waive its Apple Tax, as the 30 percent fee is sometimes called. However, Apple said no to that as well, citing an App Store rule that prohibits sharing "irrelevant" information with users.

"Don’t include irrelevant information, including but not limited to information about Apple or the development process," Apple's App Store guidelines say.

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A few weeks ago, Facebook released an image showing what this notice would look like. The iOS variant (on the left) says "Apple takes 30 percent of this purchase," while the notice on Android (right) says that "Facebook doesn't take a fee from this purchase."

Notably, according to Reuters, the Android version doesn't display the notice, either.

Left: iOS. Right: Android. But Apple isn't happy with this idea. Credit: facebook

Facebook isn't giving up, though.

"Now more than ever, we should have the option to help people understand where money they intend for small businesses actually goes. Unfortunately Apple rejected our transparency notice around their 30 percent tax but we are still working to make that information available inside the app experience," Facebook told Reuters.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft backs Epic Games, says Apple is threatening game development

Earlier this month, the two companies had another public clash, as Facebook was forced to launch its Gaming app on iOS without games. Apple's stance was that the app breaks an App Store rule about apps whose main purpose is distributing games (only Apple is allowed to have such an app). Facebook responded by mocking Apple in its Android app, and calling out the company for "hurting players and developers."

Apple's App Store guidelines and rules have been under increased scrutiny in the past weeks, with Apple removing popular game Fortnitefrom the App Store for bypassing the 30 percent cut with in-game currency, and Fortnite's publisher Epic Games answering with a lawsuit.

"Apple's removal of Fortniteis yet another example of Apple flexing its enormous power in order to impose unreasonable restraints and unlawfully maintain its 100 percent monopoly over the iOS In-App Payment Processing Market," reads a legal complaint by Epic Games.