Isn’t it example of «people "just followed orders" in the name of a payslip» quote? Apple could withdraw from Chinese market losing customers but staying clean of accusations.
Somehow Android phones exist in China, and somehow most of them allow you to install arbitrary apps. Apple chooses to build a platform amenable to censorship.
No, that’s not right. You’re confusing the owner of the distribution channel and the manufacturer of the device. In Apple’s case, it’s the same company. In Android’s case, it is not. You are further confused by the difference in channels available to each platform for installing apps.
Apple allows one channel. It owns that channel. It is responsible for the content on that channel.
Android had many channels, and Google’s App Store has the same apps banned, but an android user can simply use another channel.
Since Apple is responsible for the apps in the Chinese App Store, they’ll remove apps that expose them to liability. Google does the same.
I am not confusing any of the things you claim I am, nor have you provided any evidence of something I said even being incorrect. Apple makes an active choice. Somehow, many Android devices exist--built by manufacturers I don't see any need that name, which technically but only barely includes Google--and they don't have these issues because they did not make the immoral choice made by Apple.
> Apple allows one channel. It owns that channel. It is responsible for the content on that channel.
I understand this, and am claiming it is morally reprehensible: Apple's explicit and actively immoral decision to say there is only a single distribution channel can be used on their devices directly leads to this problem. They chose to build and sell a device with a centralized point of failure that made China able to block apps from their phones.
> Android had many channels, and Google’s App Store has the same apps banned, but an android user can simply use another channel.
I also understand this: the active and explicit decision made by the people who sell Android phones is what allows this. Apple explicitly decided to not allow this, because they are evil.
> Since Apple is responsible for the apps in the Chinese App Store, they’ll remove apps that expose them to liability. Google does the same.
Obviously. But that is entirely irrelevant to the discussion. The decision made by Apple to only allow a single store on their phones is an explicit, active decision to be horrible people and to explicitly allow Chinese censorship of their devices.
We know this wasn't a requirement to sell their phones in China, as many other phones are sold in China that do not have these restrictions. Now, you can happily say "Apple wanted to have a monopoly on app distribution, and that's why they decided to build a system that would require them to cave in to these censorship demands".
But you can't claim that they would lose access to the Chinese market. This claim, in fact, makes the error you (incorrectly) claim I do, which is to incorrectly model the decisions Apple made with respect to their platform.
FWIW, if you want to listen to me go on about this issue for an hour and a half--to verify I am not somehow twisting my words here to avoid being wrong--here is a video of me speaking at Mozilla Privacy Lab.
I appreciate your effort in fleshing out your arguments, but you’re still conflating multiple factors. You also seem to to have an ideology against Apple and/or it’s approach. While that’s fine, it becomes impossible to have a conversation based on fact or reason.
Your claim of offering only one software distribution platform as being morally reprehensible is absurd. All Apple phones can run any web app. No consumer is forced to only purchase an Apple phone. Apple hasn’t done any more than follow the law that they have to follow given other decisions they have made.
You’re right that they made an explicit choice, but not for the reasons you’re suggesting. The App Store wasn’t created to enforce CCP policy. One could argue that allowing the uncontrolled distribution of apps that violate that security and privacy of the user is far worse.
You seem to have an intense dislike of Apple for other reasons. That’s fine, no issues there. But it is causing you to misattribute blame. They are far from a perfect company, and the App Store is problematic for many other reasons.
However, you seem to ignore the same behaviour when conducted by other businesses. Why is it ok for other phone makers, movie producers, and game distributors to censor or alter their products for the Chinese market, but it’s the height of evil for Apple to do so?
If you are truely concerned about morality, look deeper. You should direct your outrage at the CCP and less so at Apple.
