Apple's China attitude creates weird political alliances as AOC and Ted Cruz slam company – TechCrunch
In a rare case of dual partnerships to overcome the lucrative disagreement that has been the hallmark of the US Congress, senators and several representatives made a scathing reprimand to Apple for its decision to take down an app at the request of it Chinese government.
Signed by Senators Ron Wyden, Tom Cotton, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Congressional Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mike Gallagher and Tom Malinowski, the letter was written to "express … strong concern for Apple's censorship of apps , including a prominent app used by protesters in Hong Kong, at the request of the Chinese government. ”
In 201[ads1]9, the only things that can unite the US's conflicting political factions are the decisions taken by companies in one of the the most powerful industries.
At the heart of the dispute lies Apple's decision to take down an app called HKMaps that was used by citizens of the island territory to track police vity.
For months, protesters have clashed with police in it little territory over what they see as the undue influence of the Chinese government in Beijing over the rule of Hong Kong. Residents of the former British protectorate have had special All the privileges and rights not granted to Chinese nationals since the United Kingdom returned sovereignty over the region to China on July 1, 1997.
"Apple's decision last week to accommodate the Chinese government by taking HKMaps deeply concerned," wrote the authors of the letter. "We urge you on the strongest terms to reverse course, to demonstrate that Apple is adding value over market access, and to stand with the brave men and women who are fighting for fundamental rights and dignity in Hong Kong."
Apple has long positioned itself as a human rights defender (including privacy and free speech) … in the United States. Abroad, the company's record is not as spotless, especially in terms of pressure from China, which is one of the company's largest markets outside the United States
Back in 2017, Apple capitulated to a request from the Chinese government that it remove all virtual private network apps from App Store. These applications allowed Chinese users to bypass "the Great Firewall" in China, which limits access to information only to what is approved by the Chinese government and its sensors.
Over 1,100 applications have been taken by Apple at the request of the Chinese government, according to the organization GreatFire (whose data was cited in Congress's letter). They include VPNs and applications made for oppressed communities within China's borders (such as Uighurs and Tibetans).
Apple is not the only company that has come under fire from the Chinese government as part of their overall response to the Hong Kong turmoil. The National Basketball Association and the gaming company Blizzard have had their own driveways that resulted in self-censorship as a result of various public positions from employees or individuals affiliated with the sports franchises or gaming communities these companies represent.
However, Apple is the largest of these companies and therefore the largest target. The company's attitude indicates a willingness to take pressure in markets that it considers strategically important no matter how it positions itself at home.
The question is what will happen if regulators in the United States stop writing letters and start making legal demands on their hand.
