Slashdot Mirror
Ex-Facebook Security Chief Calls Out Tim Cook and Apple's Practices in China (cnbc.com)
On Wednesday, Tim Cook lambasted at many companies, saying they are weaponizing data against people and societies. Cook's remarks made headlines across the world. But someone reminded that even Apple appears to be bending backwards at places. Agreeing with everything Tim Cook had shared, Alex Stamos, former CSO of Facebook called out the company over its actions to limit access to apps in China. From a report: "We don't want the media to create an incentive structure that ignores treating Chinese citizens as less-deserving of privacy protections because a CEO is willing to bad-mouth the business model of their primary competitor, who uses advertising to subsidize cheaper devices," Stamos said in a series of tweets responding to recent comments made by Apple CEO Tim Cook.
[...] Though Stamos said he agreed with "almost everything" Cook said, in a series of tweets he called out Apple for blocking the ability to download VPN and encrypted messaging apps in China, which could provide ways to connect to the internet and send messages privately and without surveillance.
[...] Though Stamos said he agreed with "almost everything" Cook said, in a series of tweets he called out Apple for blocking the ability to download VPN and encrypted messaging apps in China, which could provide ways to connect to the internet and send messages privately and without surveillance.
Facebook calling someone out for not doing enough to protect everyone's privacy
Is it April 1st already?
I see nothing hypocritical here. In one case they are forced to follow local chinese laws that the US finds repugnant. The other is selling private data which isn't covered by US laws mostly.
In actual fact in the US we also allow authorities to demand access to data. Apple is actually making technology that prevents that from being abused. Whereas other's are selling the data they harvest either directly or through what they allow the apps to collect.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
The thing about Stamos is, he is wrong in one respect. Tim Cook is trying to influence opinions on privacy vs. security by speaking his mind. He isn't flouting law.
In China, it is law to block those services. Like it or not, their rule of law applies to US companies who do business there. The right way to change laws is to debate and convince law makers (or whatever system you hve arranged to determine what your laws are) and not simply flout them.
Apple should absolutely follow Chinese law when operating in China, and its employees or management are free to speak their minds when they are here (I don't know if China has free speech laws) if they disagree with those laws.
We would expect a Chinese company operating in the US to respect American laws when they are operating here, irrespective if they disagree with them.
Apple has done nothing wrong by trying to follow the law there. Neither for that matter has google. It's just stupid PR that got mishandled.
I disagree with many laws in the US, but I don't protest them by breaking those laws, I voice my opinions in the hopes that opinion will persuade government to move towards my way of thinking. Tim Cook is doing the same thing.