What? No way. Apple? Censoring iOS 13 to appease China? Gosh. How shocking. Who'd have thought it? Apple is under fire for kowtowing to Beijing and removing references to Taiwan in the localized versions of iOS 13 for Hong Kong and Macau in China. Yes, the same China that just pressured America's NBA into issuing a groveling apology for a team manager's tweet in support of Hong Kong. The same China that loves to censor any …
Oh, sure, Apple is bad.
But I also can see the difference between exploitation of people for money (which is what Apple is doing) and literally harvesting organs from minorities and other undesirables in extermination camps (which is what the fat Evil twat at the head of China is doing). It's called perspective, you should try it some time.
But jingoistic twits with a poor grasp of reality are bad too.
Can you also see the difference between a company (which is what Apple is) and a country (which is what China is), and a government (which is what neither are)?
Governments get to create and enforce laws, maintain order, and set economic policy. Yes. Even in Communist countries.
Companies get to do what they are told in these countries, or get kicked out, because they are not, despite the fantasy dearly held by some, people, religions, or forces for anything other than profit.
When governments do what companies tell them, you have corruption.
So. Governments get to do things like make laws that allow people who disagree with government to be arrested and detained.
Including holding them indefinitely without trial, charge or legal representation. Sometimes in off shore facilities to evade their own laws. Supporting the rule of dictators for diplomatic reasons, funding terrorist groups, engaging in torture, first hand, or through proxies etc.
Companies get to do things like pander to comically insecure heads of state and their acolytes, who become a laughing stock the world over.
When it comes to perspective. You obviously don't speak from experience.
> But jingoistic twits with a poor grasp of reality are bad too.
I'm not an American or supportive of my own fascist government. Sorry to disappoint
as far as grasp on reality, I suggest reading this:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-rights-organ-harvesting/un-urged-to-investigate-organ-harvesting-in-china-idUSKBN1W92FL
they are not even denying that they did it
and chill with the whatabboutism
Companies get to do things like pander to comically insecure heads of state and their acolytes, who become a laughing stock the world over.
But that's their chjoice, d'you see? A choice that has what we call a moral dimension. And Apple (and many, many other corps) have made the wrong choice.
You don't seem to like capitalism very much, do you ? May I remind you that the very reason of a corporation to exist is to make money for its owners/shareholders. Obeying the law is secondary and only if it does not interfere with the ability to make money. Moral and ethics is not in the written law so you can't blame a corporation for not following it.
Ultimately this is the reason.
They (Apple, most other US corporations, etc) have sold their souls, assuming they had any in the first place, to an authoritarian government in return for cheap profit-boosting labour. Now the other side of that Faustian bargain is apparent and they are twisting and turning like a twisty-turning thing in order to avoid being seen to do so, though it is bloody obvious to anyone still in posetion of a soul or conscience.
I am heartened to read how South Park does a mock apology to Beijing and they seemingly don't care that they are now banned in China.
I wonder how aware most Chinese are of the censorship that they are subject to.
Apple and others doing their very best and succeeding wildly well in their efforts to make sure the chinese stay ignorant and happy.
Keep buying apple, with your help no mindless chinese citizen will feel troubled by censorship or the lack of freedom and everyone in china will be happy.
It appears that Apple is also responsive to public pressure, particularly in respect of a boycott to its revenues, given the re-certification of HKmap app. So it's worth loudly proclaiming your unwillingless to keep buying/subscribing/etc. Be the squeaky wheel.
I think that was because they really had no good excuse for withdrawing that app. This probably won't get changed just because people tell Apple that human rights are kind of, you know, important to them. I think they considered whether political freedoms were important to them a while ago when they implemented that change and they decided they didn't care all that much. Sadly, I cannot think of any large enough company in a better situation; all have terrible records when it comes to China, and many have other terrible records on similar issues.
Sure, they're looking at it case by case, and it's a sop to the CCP to kill its momentum, even if they put it back. They can just respond to each source of pain as it arises.
As to other companies, well it seems like Google's employees were powerful enough to get Dragonfly cancelled. Even if it's only to defend profits, companies can still be responsive to public, employee and shareholder opinion. Unlike undemocratic governments. Let's not forget who the main villain is here.
Folks love to hate on it, but globalisation's creation of economic interdependencies of trade and foreign investment is the main force for peace protecting weaker countries. Particularly so in the case of the CCP, which relies on continuing economic growth and improving living standards to keep the populace on-side.
"Folks love to hate on it, but globalisation's creation of economic interdependencies of trade and foreign investment is the main force for peace protecting weaker countries"
Not in all cases. In my country a majority of our exports go to one country. Guess which one. In return my spineless government stays quiet on the human rights abuses, lest is upset the 'economic interdependencies'.
So when will The Register stop claiming that Taiwan is a province of China?
Try changing your country to Taiwan in settings, Taiwan shows up as “Taiwan province of China” not “Taiwan, Republic of China”
Until you change this, I will continue to view you as lakeys of the dictator in Beijing
My government officially refers to Taiwan as Taiwan, Repuplic of China, whenever I spot mistakes on official government websites I notify the relevant parties.
My vote has never been cast in favour of parties that admires dictatorships ( social democrats and communists) I avoid buying stuff from PRC. What do you do?
//OP
. . how proud Apple is of standing up to unreasonable requests by the authorities.
Of course, any request made by China is reasonable, eh ?
When they have you by the balls, your heart and mind follows.
While China's petty crusade against Taiwan continues the fact is I can use my Taiwan passport to visit 146 countries visa free. Visiting Europe is highly amusing as our green ROC passports are allowed to use the express e-gates while PRC passport holders have to get a visa in advance and wait in line. The current situation is a joke - most Western countries pay lip service to China because they think there is a pot of gold at the end of the silk road, but double dip by treating Taiwan as a de facto independent country to make those tourism and investment $$. Have some balls and stand one way or the other - preferably by telling the PRC to get lost.
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