"Apple lauds itself as a bastion of free speech and free expression", um, no. Apple lauds itself as a bastion of privacy, but, it is far from supporting free speech. It refused to allow the Wikileaks app on it's store. It pulled an app that sent alerts whenever the USA dropped bombs overseas. It will squelch an app if it is contrary to Apple's business interests in a heartbeat.
Free speech is great until it reduces potential profits. Apple is not some sort of do-gooder organization. They are a business.
nunzy said: Free speech is great until it reduces potential profits. Apple is not some sort of do-gooder organization. They are a business.
Except for when their "do-gooding" happens to align with the personal beliefs of the leadership or they think they can gain some virtue-signaling brownie-points.
So....Russia doesn't have enough people/revenue to significantly affect Apple's bottom line, but China does?
Why else would Apple ignore the Russian authorities but not the Chinese Authorities?
That is absolutely correct. Money talks and bullshit walks. Apple is no different than any other company in that the bottom line is what it’s all about. Apple gives lip service to privacy and security but ONLY in markets/countries they know won’t shut them down for it. Russia is not a prime source of revenue for Apple so Apple can afford to take a stand and pound their chest about how they protect customer privacy. If Russia kicks them out, so what. China, on the other hand, is now part of Apple’s life bloodstream and Apple cannot, will not, won’t even consider standing up to the totalitarian Chinese regime. Very practical from a business point of view but has hypocrisy written all over it when Apple toots its horn about privacy.
lkrupp said: That is absolutely correct. Money talks and bullshit walks. Apple is no different than any other company in that the bottom line is what it’s all about. Apple gives lip service to privacy and security but ONLY in markets/countries they know won’t shut them down for it. Russia is not a prime source of revenue for Apple so Apple can afford to take a stand and pound their chest about how they protect customer privacy. If Russia kicks them out, so what. China, on the other hand, is now part of Apple’s life bloodstream and Apple cannot, will not, won’t even consider standing up to the totalitarian Chinese regime. Very practical from a business point of view but has hypocrisy written all over it when Apple toots its horn about privacy.
mushmash said: Neither is the United States, it’s ranked as a «flawed democracy» on the democracy index.
That's good, 'cause it isn't supposed to be! Nothing more scary than a mass of stupid people all enforcing idiocy via ballot.
What is important, is having a firm foundation that guarantees certain rights. The USA had that, most other places don't, democracy or not. But, even that can't work in a society that has no solid grasp on reality or truth-seeking.
AppleInsider said: Apple lauds itself as a bastion of free speech and free expression ...
They do? They have stood up for privacy, but I can't recall them making stands on free speech and expression... kind of the opposite if you think of certain controversial political and social issues, it seems to me.
Totally agree. The Gab app for example, and a slew of other apps that don't meet Apple's politically correct standards.
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Nothing more scary than a mass of stupid people all enforcing idiocy via ballot.
What is important, is having a firm foundation that guarantees certain rights. The USA had that, most other places don't, democracy or not.
But, even that can't work in a society that has no solid grasp on reality or truth-seeking.