Apple Publishes Human Rights Policy Following Shareholder Pressure Over China Censorship

[MacRumors]

Apple has published a human rights policy document that commits to "freedom of information and expression," following years of criticism from investors that it shows too much deference to Beijing and accedes to China's censorship demands.

The four-page document formalizes Apple's commitment to "respecting the human rights of everyone whose lives we touch," but concedes that the company is "required to comply with local laws," although it stops short of mentioning any particular country.

"Where national law and international human rights standards differ, we follow the higher standard. Where they are in conflict, we respect national law while seeking to respect the principles of internationally recognised human rights."

The Financial Times reports that Apple's board of directors approved the policy and published it ahead of a deadline of September 5 for shareholders to submit motions for next year's investor meeting.

The commitment comes seven months after some of Apple's shareholders defied management and supported a proposal from a consumer advocacy group called SumOfUs that would have compelled it to uphold freedom of expression globally. Apple reportedly tried to strike the proposal from the agenda but was denied by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Apple has faced increasingly pressure from investors about its relationship with China and its tendency to accede to Beijing's demands. Last year, for example, Apple removed the app of news outlet Quartz from China's ‌‌App Store‌‌ after complaints from the government that it included content that is illegal in the country. The app was covering the Hong Kong Umbrella Movement protests at the time.

Apple has also been forced to remove many VPN apps from the ‌App Store‌ in China due to the administration's regulations. Other apps affected in the past include WhatsApp, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, and the New York Times app.

Sondhya Gupta, campaign manager at SumOfUs, welcomed the publication of Apple's human rights policy, but told FT it was not clear how Apple would create proper oversight or measure progress, and Apple had not said how it would disclose the actions it might take in response to government demands that could limit free expression or access to information.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: Apple Publishes Human Rights Policy Following Shareholder Pressure Over China Censorship

 

[-DMN-]

The four-page document formalizes Apple's commitment to "respecting the human rights of everyone whose lives we touch," but concedes that the company is "required to comply with local laws."

This says it all...

 

[PickUrPoison]

It’s a complex situation. Some would like Apple to exit China, but can’t explain how that would help Chinese, Taiwanese or Hong Kong citizens.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Apple just needs to exit China at this point.

 

[PickUrPoison]

Apple just needs to exit China at this point.

Nice timing. See above.

 

[laptech]

China have laws that breaches a persons human rights. Apple say's it will abide by national law. Money means more to Apple than a persons human rights because if otherwise Apple would have pulled out of China long ago due to it's continued human rights abuses of it's citizens.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

Apple, lofty ideals, corporate reality.

 

[makitango]

In other words, it would not have been a problem to sell iPhones in Nazi Germany if there were a market for it.

 

[Solomani]

Apple just needs to exit China at this point.

It can't. Apple sales and manufacturing will instantly collapse if it does so suddenly. And because AAPL is the biggest heavyweight in the NASDAQ and Dow Jones, Apple tanking would literally crash the US stock market to record lows, destroying people's life savings, pensions, retirement, etc.

Apple is already preparing a slooooow "stealth exit" from China... which is why they have relocated some manufacturing to India and other countries. But it will still take many more years to divest the majority of its manufacturing from China.

I don't mind that Apple loses a bit of its profit margins as a result of moving to more expensive "democracy nations" such as India, and maybe even Philippines, Mexico, South America or Europe or the Amish Country. The Amish are famous for manufacturing quality things (but mostly hand crafted)

That's ok with me (if Apple is just a tad bit less profitable). I own direct Apple shares. I even own an AAPL stock certificate. They don't even give those out any more.

 

[Azrael9]

In other words, it would not have been a problem to sell iPhones in Nazi Germany if there were a market for it.

Lots of corporations did business with Nazi Germany. Probably from the side of the Allies. A delve into history will likely reveal a dirty laundry list.

As for China. Don't they have those 're-education' camps? The BBC did a documentary on it.

Azrael.

 

[TehFalcon]

It’s a complex situation. Some would like Apple to exit China, but can’t explain how that would help Chinese, Taiwanese or Hong Kong citizens.

Apple Exiting China would send a huge signal that China's laws aren't acceptable, and would be a huge impact on their economy, a huge drive for change. How would that NOT help Chinese/Taiwanese/Hong Kong citizens?

 

[PickUrPoison]

Apple Exiting China would send a huge signal that China's laws aren't acceptable, and would be a huge impact on their economy, a huge drive for change. How would that NOT help Chinese/Taiwanese/Hong Kong citizens?

Which laws aren’t acceptable?

And if you think the Chinese government would cave on anything they cared about to keep Apple products in the Chinese market, I believe you’re mistaken.

 

[SBlue1]

In other words, it would not have been a problem to sell iPhones in Nazi Germany if there were a market for it.

Just like Coca Cola and Ford did business with Nazi Germany.

 

[iZac]

It's like if Google's original code of conduct stated:

"Don't be evil*"

*unless being evil is legally mandated to do business in a region or territory, at which point we will be only as evil as is explicitly required of us.​

 

[makitango]

Just like Coca Cola and Ford did business with Nazi Germany.

Yeah but still somewhat different if you‘re posing as the ultimate corporate human rights poster child uploading ad after ad about how important privacy etc. were.

 

[SBlue1]

Apple Exiting China would send a huge signal that China's laws aren't acceptable, and would be a huge impact on their economy, a huge drive for change. How would that NOT help Chinese/Taiwanese/Hong Kong citizens?

Number one, I think you overestimate the power of the US. China is not a third world country. Some parts of the US on the other hand... I mean I just have to recall the report I saw once of American dentists doing voluntarily work for a week in an American trailer park, just like European doctors volunteer to do a week or two in an African hospital.

And B: As a German I don't agree on the Chinese laws but who am I to tell them what their laws should be? Don't you think they had enough colonialism over there dictating them their laws and treaties? How would you feel if I would tell you that you should ban polygamy in Utah because I think it is not ok? Or that you should legalize women naked tanning on the beaches in Florida because it is the right thing to do? Or you know what, the US should legalize prostitution, gambling and weed because over here in Europe it works just fine.

 

[travelsheep]

In a recent article on Medium I read a proposal to level the score, and create an equal playing field for all. I can't remember the author or his exact argument, but it went something like this:

"All apps from China and Chinese websites must be blocked outside of China. Just like non-Chinese citizen outside of China are not allowed to open bank accounts in China, Chinese citizen should not be allowed to open bank accounts outside of China. Similarly, there should be no VPN possible from China to outside-China, as long as there is no VPN from outside-China into China."

... made sense to me. What do you think about this?

 

[cupcakes2000]

In a recent article on Medium I read a proposal to level the score, and create an equal playing field for all. I can't remember the author or his exact argument, but it went something like this:

"All apps from China and Chinese websites must be blocked outside of China. Just like non-Chinese citizen outside of China are not allowed to open bank accounts in China, Chinese citizen should not be allowed to open bank accounts outside of China. Similarly, there should be no VPN possible from China to outside-China, as long as there is no VPN from outside-China into China."

... made sense to me. What do you think about this?

So you would propose imposing all of this on the average Chinese citizen regardless of their personal thoughts regarding their government? Wow. In order to do what?

 

[neuropsychguy]

The four-page document formalizes Apple's commitment to "respecting the human rights of everyone whose lives we touch," but concedes that the company is "required to comply with local laws."

This says it all...

The issues are far more complex than can be summarized by portions of two sentences. Should Apple not comply with local laws? Should they immediately leave China, which would devastate Apple’s business? Do they try to fight the Chinese government? These are discussions that have been going on for years. There are no easy answers.

 

[zhaoxin]

I don't think it is fair to aim China as the only target. We all known that India had requested to remove hundreds of apps that were owned by Chinese company. Just to show it was angry. Both Google and Apple complied. EU requested privacy agreement. So Apple asked all developers to provide that. They were all local laws. Then why just say China?

 

[vault]

In a recent article on Medium I read a proposal to level the score, and create an equal playing field for all. I can't remember the author or his exact argument, but it went something like this:

"All apps from China and Chinese websites must be blocked outside of China. Just like non-Chinese citizen outside of China are not allowed to open bank accounts in China, Chinese citizen should not be allowed to open bank accounts outside of China. Similarly, there should be no VPN possible from China to outside-China, as long as there is no VPN from outside-China into China."

... made sense to me. What do you think about this?

Sounds like something China would do.

 

[Bearxor]

I understand why people feel that American tech companies shouldn’t pull out of China. I know that the companies feel like they can’t make change if they’re not in the game and leaving the market will just cause China to double-down on everything Chinese made.

the problem I have is that we’re not effecting change inside China anyways. If anything, China has become more authoritarian over the past few years.

We’re basically ****ed either way at this point. China has simply outplayed everyone.

 

[Solomani]

Which laws aren’t acceptable?

And if you think the Chinese government would cave on anything they cared about to keep Apple products in the Chinese market, I believe you’re mistaken.

You are correct. China's government is not going to change because of the threat of Apple leaving. If anything, they will simply use their native corporations (Huawei, Xiaomi, etc) to conduct sabotage and espionage to LOOT and STEAL every Apple asset and technology they can hack... before Apple leaves China.

China knows that if Apple fully ceased operations in the country, their native Huawei and Xiaomi, darlings of the Communist Party, will simply step in and take over Apple's footprints. In fact, they already know how to copy Apple detail for detail. Those Chinese companies have made their own stores become almost-exact clones of the Apple (Retail) Stores.

 

[q64ceo]

Opening China to world trade was supposed to eventually result in political reforms. It was one of the big selling points. The freer the market the freer the people.

Its not happening.

 

[DoctorTech]

Lots of corporations did business with Nazi Germany. Probably from the side of the Allies. A delve into history will likely reveal a dirty laundry list.

As for China. Don't they have those 're-education' camps? The BBC did a documentary on it.

Azrael.

Absolutely true about Nazi Germany. For anyone wanting to learn more about this, I would recommend starting with...

IBM and the Holocaust: The Strategic Alliance Between Nazi Germany and America's Most Powerful Corporation-Expanded Edition

IBM and the Holocaust is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling shocker--a million copies in print--detailing IBM's conscious co-planning and co-organizing of the Holocaust for the Nazis, all micromanaged by its president Thomas J Watson from New York and Paris. This Expanded Edition offer...

www.amazon.com