China Attacks Apple For Allowing Hong Kong Crowdsourced Police Activity App (techcrunch.com) 69
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: Apple's decision to greenlight an app called HKmaps, which is being used by pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong to crowdsource information about street closures and police presence, is attracting the ire of the Chinese government. An article in Chinese state mouthpiece, China Daily, attacks the iPhone maker for reversing an earlier decision not to allow the app to be listed on the iOS App Store -- claiming the app is "allowing the rioters in Hong Kong to go on violent acts." HKmaps uses emoji to denote live police and protest activity around Hong Kong, as reported by users.
The app's developer denies the map enables illegal activity, saying its function is "for info" purposes only -- to allow residents to move freely around the city by being able to avoid protest flash-points. But the Chinese government is branding it "toxic." "Business is business, and politics is politics. Nobody wants to drag Apple into the lingering unrest in Hong Kong. But people have reason to assume that Apple is mixing business with politics, and even illegal acts. Apple has to think about the consequences of its unwise and reckless decision," the China Daily writer warns in a not-so-veiled threat about continued access to the Chinese market. "Providing a gateway for 'toxic apps' is hurting the feelings of the Chinese people, twisting the facts of Hong Kong affairs, and against the views and principles of the Chinese people," it goes on. "Apple and other corporations should be able to discern right from wrong. They also need to know that only the prosperity of China and China's Hong Kong will bring them a broader and more sustainable market."
The article also claims Apple reinstated a song which advocates for independence for Hong Kong and had previously been removed from its music store.
The app's developer denies the map enables illegal activity, saying its function is "for info" purposes only -- to allow residents to move freely around the city by being able to avoid protest flash-points. But the Chinese government is branding it "toxic." "Business is business, and politics is politics. Nobody wants to drag Apple into the lingering unrest in Hong Kong. But people have reason to assume that Apple is mixing business with politics, and even illegal acts. Apple has to think about the consequences of its unwise and reckless decision," the China Daily writer warns in a not-so-veiled threat about continued access to the Chinese market. "Providing a gateway for 'toxic apps' is hurting the feelings of the Chinese people, twisting the facts of Hong Kong affairs, and against the views and principles of the Chinese people," it goes on. "Apple and other corporations should be able to discern right from wrong. They also need to know that only the prosperity of China and China's Hong Kong will bring them a broader and more sustainable market."
The article also claims Apple reinstated a song which advocates for independence for Hong Kong and had previously been removed from its music store.
Aww (Score:5, Interesting)
Are someone's feelings hurt?
Maybe you should've thought about that before committing genocide, among other crimes.
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Great, now if they would just stop selling it too, the whole problem might solve itself.
Band in China (Score:1)
4, 3, 2, 1....
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Which bands will be banned in China, that is the question.
All of them.
Re:Aww (Score:5, Funny)
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The opposite of slamming China is praising China, not Apple. You invented that out of whole cloth. Nice straw man.
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And now it's been revoked (Score:2)
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Well, I guess it'll be a game of chicken now. (Score:5, Interesting)
Will Apple stand up to China? I bet they will til the share price takes a hit on impending loss to the Chinese market. Cause China has decided to dig in on this one I think. Taiwan should be, and I assume is, watching very closely.
South Park really nailed it (Score:5, Informative)
South Park really nailed it
This is the USA we are not china's bitch.
This is the one thing that trump is right about!!
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Re:South Park really nailed it (Score:5, Interesting)
It takes quite a bit to get the US citizenry riled up, at least to the point that corporations actually fear a backlash. I think we may being seeing the American public finally start to take notice of and start pushing back against China's influence with US corporations. We just saw the NBA politely tell China to piss off, Epic's Sweeny has done the same, making Blizzard look even more spineless in the process. Apple is even saying "no" to China now? Good heavens.
Maybe corporations are finally seeing the long game. That China is going to remain a repressive and hostile regime, no matter how much wealth is generated there, and that eventually, they'll just kick all the US corporations out when they no longer need us.
Hollywood, of course, remains completely silent about this whole thing, as the hypocrites still dance to China's tune, all the while mouthing platitudes about all sorts of causes that won't hurt them financially.
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Kinda makes one wonder what percentage of each of these megacorp's profits relies on the Hong Kong market, doesn't it?
Re:South Park really nailed it (Score:5, Informative)
Apple is definitely NOT saying "no". They cowtow a party line like a good Chinese citizen they are.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-protests-apple/apple-removes-police-tracking-app-used-in-hong-kong-protests-from-its-app-store-idUSKBN1WP09U?il=0
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Ah, so they flip-flopped yet again. Thanks for the heads up.
This is so disgusting. Reading Apple's explanation just feels like reading straight up party-line propaganda. Sigh... I swear, if Apple ever mentions "courage" again...
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Maybe corporations are finally seeing the long game.
I believe that they quite possibly are seeing the long game.
There's two ways for this to end up, either the standards of China are imported into the USA, or the standards of the USA are imported to China. There's been a long standing policy of China imposing limitations on Americans businesses that operate in China and for this time the value gained in getting access to that market has been worth this. Because China has started to impose more and more restrictions on what can't be done to get in this mark
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and will APPLE say force install an app that helps an government round up the jews and take them to camp if said government demands it?
Will they HELP the FBI the next time they demand help?
Re: Well, I guess it'll be a game of chicken now. (Score:2)
Communist China is always hostile to foreign business. Apple doesn't fit into economic central planning, and therefor won't be allowed to operate in China long term. No amount of bootlicking can permanently keep a US business off China's naughty list, so why even bother. Play along knowing the dance will end eventually, and hopefully with Apple's pockets stuffed with cash.
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Why did you expect to happen? China would keep spending it's reserves to prop it up?
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Nope. Good citizenry will prevent them from exporting censorship and evil just to gain access to their market.
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Will Apple stand up to China?
Technically, they already did. The app was initially blocked by Apple before it was ever released, then Apple decided to allow it in the middle of this whole thing with Taiwan. Merely allowing it is, in itself, a statement. Whether or not they stand by that statement now that it's come under additional scrutiny remains to be seen, as you suggested.
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Will Apple stand up to China?
Technically, they already did. The app was initially blocked by Apple before it was ever released, then Apple decided to allow it in the middle of this whole thing with Taiwan. Merely allowing it is, in itself, a statement. Whether or not they stand by that statement now that it's come under additional scrutiny remains to be seen, as you suggested.
They will stand behind this. If they had intended to capitulate, they would never have allowed the App. It was already a fading news story. Apple intentionally stirred the pot again by reversing-course and giving the middle finger to China.
This is all good. Except for for Apple; who now has to endure scolding (and maybe much more) from Xi's bullies.
All sarcasm aside, this was truly courageous. Good Job, Apple!
Comments that didn't age well (Score:4)
https://nypost.com/2019/10/10/... [nypost.com]
https://www.usatoday.com/story... [usatoday.com]
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Exactly. It was still too early to say that they had staked a claim, and Apple has so much tied up in China that I’d have been shocked if they had actually grown a backbone with regards to this particular topic. I like Apple a lot, but there was virtually no chance they’d come out in strong support of a “free HK” movement.
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Apple is embedded in China. Until they figure out that China isn't Apple's friend, they'll be China's bitch.
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Apple is embedded in China. Until they figure out that China isn't Apple's friend, they'll be China's bitch.
This is a strange way to show that, don'tcha think?
Re:Well, I guess it'll be a game of chicken now. (Score:4, Interesting)
I'm sure that Apple is quite clear about the nature of their relationship with China. They have stuff made there, China copies their stuff, China buys their stuff. Everyone benefits.
But this situation is different from how it's been in the past, because right now a lot of people are incensed about China's influence over American companies and media. So this is a good time for Apple to stand up for itself. If China punishes Apple right now, then Apple will make sure that everyone knows about it, while they are remembering to care.
Apple is allegedly moving some of its production out of China [theverge.com]. China has to know that Apple can afford to have their products manufactured anywhere, and that losing them as a customer will have significant repercussions.
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Actually, I think Apple is in a rather unique position to do this. Apple knows its products are desirable. In fact, smuggling of Apple's product is something t
Taiwan should be watching very closely (Score:3)
Taiwan should be, and I assume is, watching very closely.
It's too late for Taiwan to watch closely on this topic. Taiwan is already economically dependent on China. There are over a million Taiwanese businessmen who have invested anywhere from $50-200 billion in China instead of investing in Taiwan. With the notable exception of TSMC, many of Taiwan's previously thriving companies have already either moved to China or are on a decline. Taiwan knows that it cannot stand up to China, and China also knows this. That's why China realizes that a military invasion
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Will Apple stand up to China? I bet they will til the share price takes a hit on impending loss to the Chinese market. Cause China has decided to dig in on this one I think. Taiwan should be, and I assume is, watching very closely.
Take a clue from the clue-box.
Apple already HAS stood up to China. All you have to do is read China's response. They don't take kindly to dissent of ANY kind!
See, e.g. Tiananmen Square, etc.
Re:Well, I guess it'll be a game of chicken now. (Score:5, Informative)
Will Apple stand up to China?
No.
Apple has already caved in and pulled the app from their app store.
Apple removes police-tracking app used in Hong Kong protests from its app store [reuters.com]
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They didn't cave in, Apple is showing Courage by standing up against the violent rioters trying to harm the peaceful government (and them juicy Yuans).
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Will Apple stand up to China? I bet they will til the share price takes a hit on impending loss to the Chinese market. Cause China has decided to dig in on this one I think. Taiwan should be, and I assume is, watching very closely.
The US and EU (and maybe India, too) need some laws that can get a company's products banned from sale there if a company does things to support toxic regimes like China's. Force them to choose one market or the other. In that case, they'll most likely ditch the repressive country, if the alternative is getting locked out of the US, European, and Indian markets. It would also probably make companies think twice about manufacturing in China.
Toxic this, toxic that (Score:3)
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Every few years they have to cycle in a new doubleplus ungood because they abused the shit out of the old one, exploited for shock value until people get numb. Maybe try "we need to block social rape software for the good of the people"?
Toxic in particular led to me coming up with "I've seen crayons more toxic than that"
Infantile gov (Score:1)
"Do as we say, not as we do" ..and you all wonder why people revolt?
This is going to end well (Score:2)
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actually, not all people want freedom!
it may be a shock to you, but people born outside the US are not used to our brand of freedom and they often think we're the ones who are wrong.
I was talking to a guy who was born in china and now works here in my company; we were talking about the HK protests. he was saying that 'if you do nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear from the authorities'. that thought is totally foreign (and repulsive) to me, an american born and raised person.
for him, he saw nothing wro
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There are many people in the US who want authoritarianism over freedom. Usually, it's the Christian, white, poor and middle classes who want authoritarianism over anyone non-Christian or non-white. That's how Trump got elected.
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it may be a shock to you, but people born outside the US are not used to our brand of freedom and they often think we're the ones who are wrong.
I was talking to a guy who was born in china and now works here in my company; we were talking about the HK protests. he was saying that 'if you do nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear from the authorities'. that thought is totally foreign (and repulsive) to me, an american born and raised person.
This is quite similar to most Americans who do not think that there is anything wrong with harsh prison sentences for even minor infractions.
No, I'm not talking about the death penalty. I'm talking about mandatory minimum sentences and three-strikes laws that can ruin a person's entire life for small mistakes they make as a teenager or young adult - and often for "moral vices" rather than actual crimes.
Communique Reworded (Score:3)
"Providing a gateway for 'toxic apps' is hurting the feelings of Jinping, twisting the facts of Hong Kong affairs, and against the views and principles of Jinping," it goes on. "Apple and other corporations should be able to discern right from wrong. They also need to know that only the prosperity of Jinping and Jinping's Hong Kong will bring them a broader and more sustainable market."
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"Hurting feelings" is the phrasing you use in the west, wheree free speech rules, when you want to try to use governmen to hurt opponents for their speech. That is our battle.
Dictators just make you disappear.
Plan B add SIDE LOADING to IOS and take it off (Score:2)
Plan B add SIDE LOADING to IOS and take it off the app store.
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Plan B add SIDE LOADING to IOS and take it off the app store.
They can "legally" do that since iOS 8.0. All you need is an .ipa file and Cydia Impactor. Next!
But then the Protesters have to re-"Trust" the Developer of the App every week.
That's how all the Side-Load "App Stores" work.
Tell Foxconn to jump in the proverbial lake. (Score:2)
Apple moves all its manufacturing to someplace not named China?
Then what?
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Then what?
Move the manufacturing to some new tyrannical shit-hole that isn't yet rich enough represent a valuable market and build a blue water navy.
Anything, ANYTHING, that doesn't involve making our own shit on our own land while employing our own people. We'd have to revisit way too much of our regulatory nest feathering and potentially a number of surplus blue collar deplorables might experience wage growth.
Completely intolerable.
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Anything, ANYTHING, that doesn't involve making our own shit on our own land while employing our own people.
Um, you might note this little toe-in-the-water (that has actually been going-on since 2012)...
https://www.politico.com/story... [politico.com]
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That's a PR stunt. Mac Pro's aren't a major profit center for Apple which is why they neglect new models for long periods. Assembling desktop boxes is low value work.
since 2012
The US balance of trade will set another record deficit this year. Whatever change you think happened in 2012 is illusory.
I'll tell you what's toxic (Score:2)
Tyranny is toxic. Communism is toxic. Go to hell, Jinping the Pooh.
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Is anyone else reminded of the whole Java/Oracle/Android debacle? Somehow the situation with Hong Kong right now seems like the same type of trap to me.
Apple made the right call to host the app (Score:1)
Just for today (Score:2)
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And Apple quickly caved (Score:2)
Apple quickly caved to Chinese demands.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-protests-apple/apple-removes-police-tracking-app-used-in-hong-kong-protests-from-its-app-store-idUSKBN1WP09U
Fuck Apple 2X (Score:3)