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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 bradley13 on Saturday October 21 2017, @06:46AM (5 children)
"we are concerned that Apple may be enabling the Chinese government's censorship and surveillance"
Apple is only supposed to enable US censorship and surveillance. /sarc
More to the point, why does the US insist on sticking its nose into other countries' business? The other current egregious example is the debate on whether or not the US can justify (to itself?) demanding data stored on servers located in other countries.
Maybe the US should just declare itself to be the one, true world government?
Everyone is somebody else's weirdo.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 21 2017, @07:50AM (2 children)
Because it can. Next question?
The power game is how life is. There is no opt-out.
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Saturday October 21 2017, @08:47AM (1 child)
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 21 2017, @05:57PM
China doesn't need "revenge" as a motivating factor. China will screw us over at the first opportunity no matter what we do.
Yes, we are in decline. Every great nation becomes soft and lazy, and most of them bring in outsiders who do not share the attributes that made the nation great. There is a duty to fight this inevitable decline, perhaps even temporarily reversing it.
Well, that is why we elected Trump. Our decline has slowed, but it probably hasn't stopped.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Saturday October 21 2017, @03:23PM (1 child)
The other current egregious example is the debate on whether or not the US can justify (to itself?) demanding data stored on servers located in other countries.
Bullshit. The US isn't demanding that, they're demanding data stored on servers located in other countries, servers which are owned by American companies. American companies are trying to get around US law by locating stuff offshore, but sorry, they're still American companies so they still have to follow US law. The US can't legally force the Irish government to assist them, however it can certainly lock up the Americans in America who are giving their Irish subsidiary orders. If some company doesn't like that, they're free to leave the US and cease being a US company.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 21 2017, @05:11PM
Please define what makes a company American - being headquarter in the US, originally founded in the US, majority of stockholders live in US?