Apple Promises To Disclose More Details About App Removals (arstechnica.com) 16
Apple has promised to enhance disclosures about why it expels certain apps from its App Store, following claims that the tech giant's secretive decision-making process threatens freedom of expression in countries such as China and Russia. From a report: Activist investors secured the commitment from Apple earlier this month, according to three people familiar with the agreement. Last March nearly a third of shareholders at its annual meeting backed a resolution calling for greater transparency in its relations with foreign governments. Petitioners led by Azzad Asset Management, a faith-based investor in the US, and British activist investment platform Tulipshare had called on Apple to give more detail on why certain apps were pulled from the App Store after some Bible and Quran study tools were inexplicably banned from China in late 2021.
The company has long been criticized for acquiescing to foreign governments' requests that certain apps be removed. Encrypted messaging tools WhatsApp and Signal are not allowed in China's App Store, for instance, nor are The New York Times or some social media apps. It will now give investors more detail about apps that are taken down in its Transparency Report, which currently only tells investors how many apps each country has requested be removed, whether the request is based on a legal violation, and whether Apple complied, according to the people familiar with the agreement.
The company has long been criticized for acquiescing to foreign governments' requests that certain apps be removed. Encrypted messaging tools WhatsApp and Signal are not allowed in China's App Store, for instance, nor are The New York Times or some social media apps. It will now give investors more detail about apps that are taken down in its Transparency Report, which currently only tells investors how many apps each country has requested be removed, whether the request is based on a legal violation, and whether Apple complied, according to the people familiar with the agreement.
Umm (Score:3)
They should try an experiment. Disallow the Apple store in Russia and China, and everyone should have free speech, and the countries will blossom into safe havens for people to speak as they wish.
Sheesh.
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Most of the time though, freedom of speech is actually reflected in the severity of the consequences. In the US you might get kicked off of a platform, while in Iran you might get beheaded or in China you might get jailed for life.
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Well, I'm pretty sure the example that follows would literally kill consequences free freedom of speech.
And that example is, yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theatre where there is none.
It's killed people in the past (see Italian Hall disaster) [wikipedia.org]. I'm pretty sure if your loved one gets
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Well, I'm pretty sure the example that follows would literally kill consequences free freedom of speech.
And that example is, yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theatre where there is none.
It's killed people in the past (see Italian Hall disaster) [wikipedia.org]. I'm pretty sure if your loved one gets killed in an incident like this, and murder charges aren't pursued against the perpetrator (free speech, remember?), you would have rioting in the streets.
So yes, there is no true freedom of speech anywhere.
And of course never will be.
Free speech in the USA simply states that: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Other concepts such as that if you want to threaten to kill someone, harass them, or libel them, and must be allowed, are just ideas of people who believe that
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Most of the time though, freedom of speech is actually reflected in the severity of the consequences. In the US you might get kicked off of a platform, while in Iran you might get beheaded or in China you might get jailed for life.
And it is apparently all Apple's fault for destroying free speech - back to my original premise.
As the Article states "Apple has promised to enhance disclosures about why it expels certain apps from its App Store, following claims that the tech giant's secretive decision-making process threatens freedom of expression in countries such as China and Russia.
This is horrible, nice countries where Free speech was practiced, and then Apple comes along and ends free speech.
famous last words (Score:1)
"I promise"
Only two options (Score:3)
Apple doesn't really have another option besides complying with censorship demands, or to stop doing business in these countries.
I have no doubt they will choose to continue making money in China.
I only see it changing if Cold War 2 progresses to the point where the US government makes them withdraw from those markets.
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I really wonder about those who advocate that Apple or any other company should willfully break the law of a country where they operate, regardless of how strong the moral argument is.
inexplicably? (Score:2)
after some Bible and Quran study tools were inexplicably banned from China in late 2021
dear karen and ken from the financial times parroted by arstechnica and spammed on by slashdot:
you do realize that the country you are writing about is a famously self declared atheist state that openly limits freedom of expression, right? now, if you just think a tiny, tiny little bit about the possible implications you'll maybe find it isn't inexplicable at all that said state would ban religious drivel from apple's marketplace, and that apple would happily comply to make money in that market.
the only ine
#AppleSux (Score:2)
TMI! (Score:2)
TMI Apple. If you're kicking apps off the app store, I'm totally fine with it. I don't want to know why - seriously, I'm sure Apple had a good reason - perhaps they weren't cool enough or something like that.
Just don't get me involved, mkay? There are already too many apps there anyway, it's starting to feel like owning an Apple product was made for the masses, rather than, you know, just us cool folks.