Apple Pulls Hong Kong Protest App From App Store Following Chinese Criticism [Updated]

[DoctorTech]

How would you feel if you and your workmates were the ones being tracked?

I've been in those shoes before. I have served in elected office at the state level and have had people keeping track of me (and others) hoping to catch us doing something that could be used against us during the next election. No, I didn't like it but legally I could not stop them. A "private citizen" could claim they were being stalked but there is a higher standard for "public figures". I believe a police officer (public servant) would probably be viewed as a public figure meaning they can't stop someone from "tracking" them as long as they were not so close as to physically interfere with the office doing his or her job.

 

[s54]

So Cook responded in an internal letter to employees which I’m sure the company leaked or knew someone would leak it. He swears they had credible information the app was being used for malicious purposes. I guess we have to take him at his word but I wonder how much effort the company put into verifying the claims before they removed the app.

Apple CEO Cook defends removal of police-tracking app used in Hong Kong

Apple Inc <AAPL.O> Chief Executive Tim Cook on Thursday defended the iPhone maker's decision to remove from its app store a police-tracking app used by protesters in Hong Kong, according to a copy of a letter to employees seen by Reuters and confirmed by Apple.

www.reuters.com

lol

The app was being used for malicious purposes just as knives are responsible for stab wounds and cryptocurrency is responsible for illegal activity by the cartels... because, you know, nobody ever used the US dollar to sponsor drug trade, launder money, kill people, and buy illegal weapons.

 

[djgamble]

"Letting poisonous software have its way is a betrayal of the Chinese people's feelings," said the People's Daily.

Bloody hell, how farcical do they want to sound?

The Communist Party defiles the Chinese and Hong Konger's respective feelings every second of every day. Also, it's the world's single largest manufacturer of 'poisonous software'. Pretty sure most residents would stab them in the back if they could do so without getting in trouble. They operate for themselves (with zero transparency), not the people. If they were for the people, they'd introduce democracy and quit trying to steal Hong Kong.

 

[iGeneo]

Free speech. You know one of the principals all US citizens no matter their race, gender, sexual preference or political beliefs hold dear to their hearts. You know one of those things Communist China doesn't allow. They are free to post here even if you don't like it.

Correct

I appreciate his support for the Apple ecosystem. Visit here, hit counters, advertisers, sell Apple centric products. ?

 

[DakotaGuy]

I just searched for this app on my LG Android phone and I can install it if I want. Sorry when it comes to this Google +1.

 

[Defthand]

It occurred to me that Apple wouldn't have to interfere and make excuses if its App Store wasn't the only means to acquire software.

 

[koruki]

These rioters are looking up the identity of individual police, their families, their children's schools and posting all their information online, tracking them down and attacking them at random. Inciting violence in schools against the children whose parents are cops. You tell me if that suddenly sounds like such an awesome "cause" and if this app is actually helping or causing harm. Once again speak with your wallet, if you think Apple is wrong then don't buy their stuff but don't go chanting the same "freedom" rhetoric when it is being used and abused as an excuse for violence.

 

[KPOM]

The Business Roundtable makes a big deal about adopting the “stakeholder” model, and one month later, when China bullies Hong Kong, it’s back to “the purpose of business is to make profits”.

 

[mejsric]

how about we all Americans go to Hong Kong and help them?

 

[femike]

At last Tim Cook has done something I agree with.

 

[katbel]

Disgrace.

Hopefully everyone in HK downloaded it before it got deleted.

Maybe Apple gave the heads up to HK protesters when the news came out more or less a week ago, and now they removed the app leaving HK people enough time to download it
I think is not easy to deal with China having few interests there..
Tim Cook has few issues I don't like about hardware and software decisions
but I think is pretty sensible to human rights violation: he proved it several times before.

 

[macfacts]

These rioters are looking up the identity of individual police, their families, their children's schools and posting all their information online, tracking them down and attacking them at random. Inciting violence in schools against the children whose parents are cops. You tell me if that suddenly sounds like such an awesome "cause" and if this app is actually helping or causing harm. Once again speak with your wallet, if you think Apple is wrong then don't buy their stuff but don't go chanting the same "freedom" rhetoric when it is being used and abused as an excuse for violence.

How are they looking up police names and addresses with this apple app?

 

[iGeneo]

Can we change the thread title?

Apple, Google Pull Hong Kong Protest Apps Amid China Uproar

Apple and Google both removed apps associated with Hong Kong’s antigovernment protests from their digital stores in recent days, thrusting the two Silicon Valley giants into controversy related to the unrest.

www.wsj.com

Separately, Alphabet Inc.’s Google unit removed from its Google Play store a mobile game that allowed players to role-play as a Hong Kong protester. According to the developer, Google said the app, called “The Revolution of Our Times,” violated rules related to “sensitive events.”

I dare say that Google went a bit farther by removing a game

 

[gavroche]

Yup.. Exactly. Apple made a mistake by allowing it in the first place. Making the correction wasn't easy.

But of course... the keyboard warriors here will disagree. Problem is, they are just all talk. If they truly despised Apple for this, they would stop supporting Apple and leave the eco system immediately

Out of curiosity, what is the "human rights violation" here by tracing police? And ifit was such a thing... does that mean that apps tracking buses, airplanes, taxis, etc are as well? are rights of bus drivers, pilots, taxi drivers, etc different?

I seriously think people throw around terms like that and have absolutely no idea what they mean.

 

[Techwatcher]

lol

The app was being used for malicious purposes just as knives are responsible for stab wounds and cryptocurrency is responsible for illegal activity by the cartels... because, you know, nobody ever used the US dollar to sponsor drug trade, launder money, kill people, and buy illegal weapons.

Best answer!

 

[katewes]

Best answer!

lol

The app was being used for malicious purposes just as knives are responsible for stab wounds and cryptocurrency is responsible for illegal activity by the cartels... because, you know, nobody ever used the US dollar to sponsor drug trade, launder money, kill people, and buy illegal weapons.

Best answer!

Let me break this down:

- What percentage of HK protesters were using the App to attack police?
- What percentage of HK protesters were using the App to escape police brutality?

So, when you support shutting down an App because "it was used for malicious purposes", should be ban iPhones in the entire world because criminals and terrorists use iPhones?

 

[AlexGraphicD]

If it would cost that much to produce without slave labor and third world country wages, so be it. You think it’s ok tu substitute your western lifestyle with sweat and blood of people of the Chinese communist regime?

if we find a way to produce them in North Korea for half the money because they’d to everything for a corn of rice, should we go for it?

OMG can you imagine the horror living in a world where you wouldn’t be able to upgrade your shiny iPhone every year because it would be more expensive. Like, seriously there are people that think like that?!

Shame. I don’t want anything that has been produced by cheap labor. As it is right now, iPhones are already expensive and even an older model does the job fine, we don’t need the latest and the greatest.

So yeah, bring on more expensive iPhones manufactured out of China or even better here in the US and we will survive just fine, buying phones more rarely than we used to.

 

[tothemoonsands]

So yeah, bring on more expensive iPhones manufactured out of China or even better here in the US and we will survive just fine, buying more rarely phones than we used to.

I would LOVE to see a US built iPhone! $2000-2500+ depending on the configuration would be perfectly acceptable under these circumstances. To help offset the cost, there could be plenty of financing options, in addition to bringing back the carrier contract-locked deals. It sounds crazy expensive until you amortize it over 4-6 years.

 

[AlexGraphicD]

Supporting riots is not a freedom people need.

How do you suggest the people react to an oppressive, authoritarian communist dictatorship? Being polite and protesting holding flowers?
Unfortunately, the majority of people in the world, think of oppressive communist regimes as some other form of “democratic” systems, slightly different than the typical western democracies.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

I think Apple should now remove Waze, since it also tracks police ambushes.

NYC police and officials already tried to go against Waze. And they probably would have, if Google didn't buy it.

 

[pika2000]

I just searched for this app on my LG Android phone and I can install it if I want. Sorry when it comes to this Google +1.

I just typed in hkmap.live on safari and voila.
Don’t even need an app.

 

[russell_314]

To me this makes me rethink my opinion of ole Tim Cook as some whiny California liberal. He just did something pro law enforcement! Go Tim Cook! This makes me feel so much better about spending my $$$$ on Apple products

#TrumpCook2020

 

[Kabeyun]

Sorry when it comes to this Google +1.

Maybe not.

 

[Lalatoon]

What do you expect from a company who is in bed with the Chinese government. This is actually just a tip of the iceberg. Underneath this issue is the question, what personal information of Hong Kong protesters is Apple sharing with the Chinese government?

Now, if they have done this in China will they do the same in US or any other country if their economic interest is threatened?

Apple can no longer hide their hypocrisy.

The reality is, it is an illusion to say that in political matters an entity can stay in the middle and not choose side. Every person, company or organization in a society has to choose side because whatever is the outcome of the political struggle at hand will always directly affect each person, company or organization. At first one could say that he will not choose side but as the struggle deepens and reaches its climax he will be pulled to one side whether he like it or not. If you do not choose a side early on then later the situation will be the one to choose side for you.

If you are a Hong Kong resident and you did not decide to support the protesters in any way, small or big, then it means you are okay with the passing of the extradition law and whether you like it or not this means you already have chosen a side.

As for Apple, it is clear which side they have chosen.

 

[Hieveryone]

Unbelievable! Apple would have removed an App to keep Ann Frank safe if it meant protecting their German money.

preach brother. this deserves a thousand likes