SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Senators Ted Cruz and Patrick Leahy have written to Apple CEO Tim Cook to ask ten questions about Apple's recent removal of VPN apps from its Chinese app store:
Two US senators have written to Apple CEO Tim Cook asking why the company reportedly removed VPN apps from the company's store in China. "If these reports are true," the senators wrote, "we are concerned that Apple may be enabling the Chinese government's censorship and surveillance of the Internet."
[...] On or around July 29, Apple removed many of the most-used VPN applications from its Chinese app store. In a short email from the company, VPN providers were informed that VPN applications are considered illegal in China.
"We are writing to notify you that your application will be removed from the China App Store because it includes content that is illegal in China, which is not in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines," Apple informed the affected VPNs.
[...] Now, in a letter sent to Apple CEO Tim Cook, US senators Ted Cruz and Patrick Leahy express concern at the move by Apple, noting that if reports of the software removals are true, the company could be assisting China's restrictive approach to the Internet.
"VPNs allow users to access the uncensored Internet in China and other countries that restrict Internet freedom. If these reports are true, we are concerned that Apple may be enabling the Chines[sic] government's censorship and surveillance of the Internet."
Leahy and Cruz were cosponsors of the USA Freedom Act.
Previously: Apple Capitulates, Removes Unlicensed VPN Apps From China App Store
Russia Bans VPNs and Tor, Effective November 1
(Score: 2) by jmorris on Saturday October 21 2017, @03:26AM (3 children)
Nah, he has a U.S. phone so even if it is an iProduct it would connect to the U.S. Store. Whether a VPN connection can still go through the Great Firewall is an unanswered question. Because anyone who is Chinese who tries and fails is probably f*cked. Almost a safe bet that foreigners ARE allowed to VPN between their Chinese locations and the outside world, no idea if they are exempted for their devices while on the Chinese cell networks. Probably best if somebody like Cruz was the one who publicly tried it first, they wouldn't lock his ass up or even toss him out of the country. Rank hath privileges.
That is the part people keep forgetting, bypassing the Great Firewall isn't some spergy nerd game like violating TOS is here in the U.S., when China bans VPNs it isn't playing cat and mouse games, the mice that get caught aren't scolded and released, they aren't fined. People who defy the authority of a Police State quickly learn why they are called Police States. And while I'm OK with Cruz and Leahy giving some pushback, Apple didn't have anymore choice in this than an average Chinaman. Obey or forfeit all assets in China isn't a hard call to make. Whether they should have ever put assets in China is the decision they failed at but everybody seems to have made that mistake.
(Score: 3, Informative) by MostCynical on Saturday October 21 2017, @05:33AM (2 children)
"China revenues for Apple fell 10 percent year-on-year in its fiscal third quarter to just over $8 billion"
8 billion reasons to have assest in China.
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/02/apples-china-revenues-fall-q3-earnings.html [cnbc.com]
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 3, Insightful) by c0lo on Saturday October 21 2017, @05:50AM (1 child)
I have a hunch losing access to cheap fabbing compounds those 8 billion worries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 4, Informative) by MostCynical on Saturday October 21 2017, @07:12AM
So, make sure you don't have all your eggs in one basket:
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/17/apple-begins-manufacturing-iphone-se-in-india.html [cnbc.com]
http://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/apple-first-assembled-in-india-iphone-india-market/story/255222.html [businesstoday.in]
http://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2083402/going-local-how-apple-got-back-indonesias-smartphone-game [scmp.com]
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex