
Apple will investigate app that lets Saudi men track and control women - thirdsun
https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/13/18223114/absher-criticism-google-apple-saudi-arabia-track-women-tim-cook
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gyaniv
> "But obviously we’ll take a look at it if that’s the case.”

Take a look and what? If the app does do what everyone says it does (including
the Saudis) will Apple remove the app?

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writepub
They won't do jack, just like with China where they handed over all of iCloud
to a govt. owned company, while simultaneously making "privacy" a selling
point of Apple devices. Instead, they'll patently lie, and go on a P.R.
offensive on Apple's (fake) moral superiority.

And how could Apple ever defy the likes of China and Sauds, when their
militant control of the iOS walled garden is modeled after totalitarian
regimes, like Saudi Arabia?

~~~
tdaltonc
This case is different from that. In the Chinese case, they are complying with
the legal request of a government. They are required by local law to answer
that request.

But Apple is not required to distribute an app just because it's legal under
local laws. There are all kinds of legal things you can't make an app for in
the US. Apple is within its legal rights to say, "you can't distribute that
app on our platform."

Do you see the difference?

~~~
writepub
Apple was within it's right to stop sales of the iPhone in China, and protect
Chinese citizen's privacy - and follow through with it's pompous advertising
on privacy protection. But it chose to abandon privacy, morals and ethics, and
remain in the country.

Apple's selective enforcement is indicative of the impact on it's bottom line.
If banning the Saudi app leads to a ban on iPhones in Saudi, Apple will gladly
cower to the kingdom for more money, as it has demonstrated with China.

Apple DOESN'T care about morals, or it's customers or the horse shit rules
governing it's store - it just needs a worthy adversary to put it in it's
place, else it'll gladly be the biggest bully in the playground, and claim
moral authority while doing so.

