Apple CEO Tim Cook on Hate Speech: 'You Have No Place on Our Platform'

[cmwade77]

Here is the problem I have with this stance, while legally they can do what they want and sensor whome they want, who decides what is and isn't hate speech?

I mean if you say you have a problem with a particular minority group, will that be considered hate speech and if so, if some of those minority groups say they have problems with say white people, shouldn't that also count as hate speech?

It is a two way street and too often we let people call one direction hate speech while we say people are entitled to the opposite opinion, even though it is the exact same kind of speech, just directed at a different group.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

Total respect to Tim Cook. He's doing a lot of good for the world which is truly refreshing. Sure, haters are gonna hate and say 'hey, he should just concentrate on running Apple' but he's already doing that and men with real courage speak up. Respect to him as I certainly do not see CEOs or Execs from Samsung, LG, Google, SONY, Panasonic, Bang & Olufsen trying to stand up for workers, the environment, LGBT, DACA, world issues. It's incredible refreshing in todays' hostile world that is rather lacking in empathy, honesty, love and down right decency right now.

Tim, please continue doing what you are doing. As Steve Jobs said "Here's to the crazy ones..."

 

[Naaaaak]

Everyone knows what Tim Cook means by this. Politically dissenting speech will continue to be punished under the guise of stopping "hate speech" (as in, Tim Cook "hates speech" that destroys his neoliberal agenda). Remember what Apple did to Infowars and Gab and others.

 

[Naraxus]

I really wish Cook would shut the hell up with his political grandstanding and return Apple's focus on making great computers.

Quit using Apple as your personal ****ing soapbox Tim.

 

[NufSaid]

I find white supremicists disgusting. I oppose those who call for the destruction of someone based on their race.

Gonna go listen to cop killer. Still available on Apple Music.

 

[cmwade77]

The fact that a stand against hate speech can bring forward so many people opposed to that opposition just goes to show that there's still so much work to do.

No, many of us simply understand that we can't go around banning speech because we disagree with it. Now true hate speech, like I want to hurt so and so, that is a problem, but unfortunately many companies, including Apple don't know how to distinguish true hate speech from what isn't hate speech. Instead they simply call anything that disagrees with their viewpoint hate speech and that isn't necessarily true.

For example, saying "marriage should only be between a man and a woman"is not hate speech. Saying that "anyone who attempts to marry someone of the same gender should be killed" is hate speech and would be wrong, but Apple and other companies, as well as many individuals want to define both statements as hate speech.

Note: I am not saying I agree or disagree with the first statement, only using this as an example. I do and would be against the second statement, that would clearly be hat speech and is definitely wrong.

 

[neliason]

I agree with this sentiment, but I can’t take them seriously when there is plenty of black supremacy rap music on iTunes. They preach about what is right, but they seem to have quite a bit of bias when it comes to what they think is right and wrong.

Tim’s morality follows the money.

Apple isn’t the government, they can “censor” (quotes because it isn’t real censorship) anyone they please.

Not exactly. First, a private person can censor just as the government can. So Apple is censoring content. As to the legality Apple has two problems. One is that if they are curating content then they may face liability which they claim they are legally able to avoid by not curating content. (Just kidding they’ll never actually be held legally liable. IP law is not eqaully applied) Second if Apple is a public utility, monopoly or otherwise enjoys a dominating market position then one could make a very good argument that they can’t censor content. In fact if we follow the argument of the judge that ruled Trump’s Twitter account is a public forum (an awful ruling) then Apple clearly should be held liable for its censorship.

 

[ScottishDuck]

I find white supremicists disgusting. I oppose those who call for the destruction of someone based on their race.

Gonna go listen to cop killer. Still available on Apple Music.

We need to create a new nation for all those members of the cop race out there, I'm gonna call it Copsrael.

 

[guerro]

Is that you Steven Crowder?!

Try to change his mind and find out.

 

[JRobinsonJr]

It's notable that the members who normally come to MacRumors just to bash Apple and Tim Cook are among those defending hate speech.

I think you are misinterpreting the perspective. Defending the right of people to say things that you personally detest is not the same as defending WHAT they are saying.

 

[Naaaaak]

This is why I am an Apple customer. This, and respect for privacy.

I will suffer the junk keyboards.
I will suffer the miserly cheapness with cables, ports, power bricks, memory, and storage.
I will suffer the quality issues and lagging in innovation in software and cloud solutions.
I will suffer the prices which are no longer “for the rest of us”

There are so few ethical technology companies. Zuck, Sandberg, the Google buffoons, the sociopathers....the list goes on an on. So I chose Apple.

I am proud to be a customer, flaws in the products and all.

So you'll buy total crap under the guise of "muh ethics". Tim Cook is lucky to have you.

 

[mariusignorello]

There is no such thing as hate speech.

There isn’t. Hate speech is so subjective it’s not even funny. “Hateful” can be described 100 different ways by 100 different people. I mean sure don’t be mean and a jerk but “hate speech” isn’t a thing. Too many interpretations.

 

[guerro]

It’s not censorship to refuse to let someone use your stage. They can still go somewhere else to speak

Actually, that is the definition of censorship.

 

[ramallite]

For the ADL to have a "Courage Against Hate" award is like Pol Pot presenting a "Courage Against Brutality" award.

The ADL? This is the same organization that secretly urged a crackdown on Palestine solidarity activism on US campuses, whitewashed war crimes perpetrated by a certain foreign government against defenseless civilians in the Middle East, participated in sending US police officers to the same Middle Eastern country to receive training in brutal crackdown techniques to come back and apply in US cities, and just recently was one of the loudest voices advocating for the firing of a prominent black civil rights activist who advocated for "equality for all" from CNN and smearing him as anti-Semitic. Tim Cook ought to be ashamed of himself.

 

[ugahairydawgs]

Maybe the problem is with you, who can't seem to differentiate between a respectful argument and curses and lies being hurled at each other.

Who decides where the line is? Both sides tell "lies" (half truths is probably a more accurate way of putting it). Who decides which ones are a bridge too far and which ones are fine?

 

[cmwade77]

I find white supremicists disgusting. I oppose those who call for the destruction of someone based on their race.

Gonna go listen to cop killer. Still available on Apple Music.

But there are people who call for their destruction because they are white, which is also wrong.

 

[guerro]

Yes there is. It's in the Klansman's rant, or in Isis boards, Neo-Nazis, and a good deal in the recent speeches by the presidents about "MS-13" invading our borders.

Nice to see you love MS-13.

 

[mariusignorello]

I can tell from the replies who hates Muslims, non Christians , immigrants, other minorities, women not in kitchens, women who like to have a choice and people who don’t want to be discriminated for their life and the poor and those in need

No. You do not get to *assume* our political views because of our opinion on one topic. I’m gay. Because I don’t agree with Cook that means I’m against equality?

Report this guy. Total nonsense.

 

[Plutonius]

Cook better stop his unduly external engagement.

Many people think he's going to run for political office when he leaves Apple.

 

[lunarworks]

This thread has restored my faith in humanity. I have thought that we irreversibly got lost into a horror of political correctness.

There is a good old quote which says: "I do not agree with the single word you said, but I will to the death defend your right to say it".

Would you defend that right if what they were saying was a call for your death?

 

[Plutonius]

Oh geez, these threads are always filled with misinformed people talking about free speech and censorship.

Apple isn’t the government, they can “censor” (quotes because it isn’t real censorship) anyone they please.

The first amendment doesn’t apply here.

You are correct but that doesn't mean that others can't complain if they think Apple is being biased.

 

[mariusignorello]

Calling someone a nazi is a far cry from calling for every LGBTQ or Latino or whatever be killed on sight.

Right. Let’s see someone call you a Nazi, post it all over the internet, spread it through your workplace and get everyone to hate you. Then talk.

 

[bsolar]

It’s not censorship to refuse to let someone use your stage. They can still go somewhere else to speak

Actually yes, it is? If you prohibit some content from being on your stage, you are censoring it: other stages being available to the speaker has zero relevance on this. Others might not be censoring, but you definitely do.

Apple is prohibiting some forms of speech on their platform: perfectly allowed to do so, but it's censorship by definition.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

How do YOU define 'hate speech'?

I don't need to define it. The suggestion it doesn't exist is moronic.

 

[shareef777]

There is no such thing as hate speech.

Right. It’s just people “disliking” other people based off their skin color and/or religious affiliation and spreading fake news about them. Definitely not hate speech.