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posted by mrpg on Saturday October 21 2017, @02:30AM   Printer-friendly
from the wo-bu-zhi-dao dept.

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."

The letter to Tim Cook.

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


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  • (Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Saturday October 21 2017, @03:23PM (1 child)

    by Grishnakh (2831) on Saturday October 21 2017, @03:23PM (#585679)

    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.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 21 2017, @05:11PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 21 2017, @05:11PM (#585702)

    American companies

    Please define what makes a company American - being headquarter in the US, originally founded in the US, majority of stockholders live in US?