Apple has recently come under the radar for removing almost 29,800 apps from its Chinese app store. Out of these, 26000 of them were game apps. This action was taken after Apple gave a deadline to game publishers and asked them to submit their government issued license numbers and to enable the user to make in-app purchases by the end of June 2020. However, these game publishers did not do as they were asked because it is a long and complicated process to get these licenses, so Apple took the action and removed all these apps from the Chinese app store.
After facing a lot of pressure from shareholders, Apple has now finally published a document in which the company has committed to freedom of expression and information as a human right.
The company has mentioned in the document that they believe in the critical importance of an open society which allows free flow of information, without any infiltration or adulteration. They are convinced that the best way to continue promoting openness and this easy communication, it is imperative to remain engaged, even if Apple has disagreements any country’s law.
Tim Cook said that the people at Apple are optimistic about the complete potential of technology, and how well it can be used for the betterment of humanity. However, it will not happen on its own, and teams at Apple are dedicated to incorporating the essence of humanity in the devices they make and the technology they use every day.
Also, Apple says that its human rights policy is based on the United Nation’s guiding principles on business and human rights.
While Apple’s human rights policy is quite straight forward and good, it has faced some backlash from human rights activists on maintaining contacts with suppliers who allegedly use forced labor of thousands of Uighurs in Chinese factories. So, these activists have asked Apple to cut ties with these suppliers. Also, Apple faced a lot of criticism on removing an app that helped Hong Kong protesters in track police movements.
Although this sounds extremely wrong and looks like a weird behavior from a tech giant like Apple, but the company has argued in its defense and said that they removed the said app because it was being used to target individual police officers, and it victimized individuals and property, which was in clear violation to the Hong Kong law.
Photo: Digital First Media/The Mercury News / Getty Images
Read next: Apple Reminds Users About Being The Ultimate Privacy Protector In New Over Sharing Ad
After facing a lot of pressure from shareholders, Apple has now finally published a document in which the company has committed to freedom of expression and information as a human right.
The company has mentioned in the document that they believe in the critical importance of an open society which allows free flow of information, without any infiltration or adulteration. They are convinced that the best way to continue promoting openness and this easy communication, it is imperative to remain engaged, even if Apple has disagreements any country’s law.
Tim Cook said that the people at Apple are optimistic about the complete potential of technology, and how well it can be used for the betterment of humanity. However, it will not happen on its own, and teams at Apple are dedicated to incorporating the essence of humanity in the devices they make and the technology they use every day.
Also, Apple says that its human rights policy is based on the United Nation’s guiding principles on business and human rights.
While Apple’s human rights policy is quite straight forward and good, it has faced some backlash from human rights activists on maintaining contacts with suppliers who allegedly use forced labor of thousands of Uighurs in Chinese factories. So, these activists have asked Apple to cut ties with these suppliers. Also, Apple faced a lot of criticism on removing an app that helped Hong Kong protesters in track police movements.
Although this sounds extremely wrong and looks like a weird behavior from a tech giant like Apple, but the company has argued in its defense and said that they removed the said app because it was being used to target individual police officers, and it victimized individuals and property, which was in clear violation to the Hong Kong law.
Photo: Digital First Media/The Mercury News / Getty Images
Read next: Apple Reminds Users About Being The Ultimate Privacy Protector In New Over Sharing Ad
