Apple Pulls Hong Kong Protest App From App Store Following Chinese Criticism [Updated]

[The Phazer]

A good reminder that centralised code signing and devices that cannot run code that isn't signed by a centralised authority will inevitably be used for evil.

The lack of a generally accessible sideloading mechanism for iOS has always been dangerous and stupid. Those of us who warned against it had this in mind.

I look forward to the next time Tim Cook tries to say that the App Store gives customers "safety" with a straight face.

 

[nvmls]

People are ambushing police in Hong Kong. It’s not because they’re bored. regardless of the reason it’s a danger to police. Those police officers have family and children they would like to go home to.

Oh they could go home? oh wow.. why don't they and call it a day? protesters would have no one to fight with, brilliant.

 

[djlythium]

I understand your point but I think it's more complex.

Nobody would be interested in Cook's opinion were he not CEO of Apple. Apple is a company with a huge presence in China.

Furthermore Cook has chosen to use the language of principle. He didn't say "I am a Democrat and oppose this or that law" he always says "this offends against a deeply held principle". Well, the litmus test of any principle is that one cannot pick and choose where it applies.

He has no vote in China of course and he does in America. But when it comes to outrageous abuses of power if one wishes to be principled there cannot be a line drawn at a border. This is not the question of whether the Japanese law on railway timetables is a good one or whether the French regulations on air conditioners need reforming. With China it is a moral question, it is a tyranny that murders political opponents and is ethnically cleansing the Uighur people and Cook, like anyone else, is well within his rights to criticise such tyrannies.

Cook is actually a decent man I think. Personally his sympathies are almost certainly with Hong Kong. But fear of losing money in China is the reason he is bowing down to the Chinese government. Now if he admitted that, said "Apple supports these principles but if it will cost too much money we abandon them - just like every other business" then fine, it would at least be honest. But does anyone expect Cook to stop virtue signalling?

Spot on!

 

[sirozha]

Waze is being used to attack and ambush police? This is new to me LOL

Yes, there have been a few incidents in NY and NJ when the police were ambushed in their patrol cars and shot. The attackers used Waze to see the location of the police cars.

 

[russell_314]

Oh they could go home? oh wow.. why don't they and call it a day? protesters would have no one to fight with, brilliant.

Yeah that makes so much sense. Why don’t police in the USA do this as well. Hmm. I think you’re onto a new type of law-enforcement technique where police just avoid the crime LMAO
[automerge]1570714373[/automerge]

Yes, there have been a few incidents in NY and NJ when the police were ambushed in their patrol cars and shot. The attackers used Waze to see the location of the police cars.

I haven’t seen any articles on this. I’ve heard of police being ambushed in the US but not using Waze. I’m sure if it happens enough the app will be pulled.

 

[69Mustang]

You do realise this app was pulled because of precisely that reason?

"and criminals have used it to victimize residents in areas they know there is no law enforcement"

https://twitter.com/x/status/1182133441267003392

If you're going to be this disingenuous with your discourse, we should really stop. I mentioned several apps that are on the app store that track police. You said they should be removed. I asked why remove them since none of your fearmongering proven true and Waze has been active over a decade.

Now your answer is remove them because some other app in China was reportedly being used to commit crime? Makes sense.

 

[sirozha]

Yeah that makes so much sense. Why don’t police in the USA do this as well. Hmm. I think you’re onto a new type of law-enforcement technique where police just avoid the crime LMAO
[automerge]1570714373[/automerge]

I haven’t seen any articles on this. I’ve heard of police being ambushed in the US but not using Waze. I’m sure if it happens enough the app will be pulled.

You are sure wrong. We have a semblance of democracy here.

 

[russell_314]

I personally think Macrumors just recycled an old article to get everybody worked up. If it was a new article it would’ve mentioned that Apple pulled the app put it back and then pulled it again LOL

 

[jonnyb098]

Yep it’s so disgraceful how they won’t let criminals have an app to attack police. That’s absolutely terrible.

Come on....how many loser criminals actually have/can afford a smart phone

 

[sparkso]

Even though I don't really agree with the decision, at the end of the day it is Apple's app store, so they can do whatever. However, one thing that comes to my attention is that a lot of people here seem to believe the app was used to "ambush the police" (I mean seriously? Ambushing teams of fully geared police? You think that's true?) . The truth is the app was made to avoid police ambushes.

 

[russell_314]

You are sure wrong. We have a semblance of democracy here.

Keep thinking that LOL. Democracy does not mean companies won’t pull it if it’s being used to commit crimes. Yes companies have the choice to do such things or not but they often will choose to remove such content. It’s just like how we have a democracy but Facebook removes objectionable content that they don’t like

 

[Heineken]

It's a tough call, I think they did the right thing as controversial as it is

What? They have no balls

Not sure why everyone here is so critical of Apple in this situation.

It’s simple. China is a communist government that deems certain speech illegal so Apple doesn’t really have much of a choice as I see it. It’s a lose lose situation for them. They either remove the app and upset a few people here on macrumors OR they keep it up and upset the government where all their products are made.

Glad I live in a country where we at least have the illusion of free speech.

or they could stand by their principles if they mean it and just move out of China. It’s retarded market anyway.

 

[Rogifan]

Not sure why everyone here is so critical of Apple in this situation.

It’s simple. China is a communist government that deems certain speech illegal so Apple doesn’t really have much of a choice as I see it. It’s a lose lose situation for them. They either remove the app and upset a few people here on macrumors OR they keep it up and upset the government where all their products are made.

Glad I live in a country where we at least have the illusion of free speech.

Well you either support human rights or you don’t. And China needs western companies as much as those companies want China’s consumers. But everyone is too afraid to stand up to China so instead they bend over backwards to not offend (see NBA).

 

[UK-MacAddict]

Clearly Apple is worried about the current trade war with China and did not want to give more reasons for China to maybe mess with their production in the country, to which it is heavily dependent on.

 

[russell_314]

Even though I don't really agree with the decision, at the end of the day it is Apple's app store, so they can do whatever. However, one thing that comes to my attention is that a lot of people here seem to believe the app was used to "ambush the police" (I mean seriously? Ambushing teams of fully geared police? You think that's true?) . The truth is the app was made to avoid police ambushes.

At the end of the day it’s hard to say whether the app was made to avoid police ambushes or ambush police. Right now there’s video proof that protesters are ambushing police so that gives apple a reason to pull the app. If the protesters were peaceful and the app was up I have a feeling Apple would have just kept the app going

 

[2010mini]

Cite the Hong Kong law that this app violates.

Cite the Hong Kong law that this app violates.
Police on the US is passed about Waze and demanded that it be pulled. The difference is that we still have a democracy in this country.

Laws in HK and China are too numerous to list.I do not know the specific number and subsection. But they do have aiding and abetting laws.

was does not allow you to actively track police movements.

MOVEMENT tracking is the key here. I’ve used Waze in the past.
I may be wrong but I’ve never seen an alert for “two police cruisers traveling southbound on I95 at ex12 in anytown, USA...”

 

[jamesnajera]

Link the article in an email to Tim Cook and tell him money is not everything. Human Rights > money

 

[russell_314]

Well you either support human rights or you don’t. And China needs western companies as much as those companies want China’s consumers. But everyone is too afraid to stand up to China so instead they bend over backwards to not offend (see NBA).

Yep that basic human right to attack in ambush police LMAO

 

[jonnyb098]

Well you either support human rights or you don’t. And China needs western companies as much as those companies want China’s consumers. But everyone is too afraid to stand up to China so instead they bend over backwards to not offend (see NBA).

The situation is not so black and white. Protestors were beating officers and officers beating protestors. There is always more to the story than "Apple bans app" or " Apple doesn't stand for human rights" or whatever stupid, simpleton talking point is being used to describe a narrative.

As far as standing up to China, as much as I dislike Trump he is the only one who has had the guts to do it and start calling their bluff. Because if you don't, they become THE world super power and whatever god you believe in help us because thats a day I don't want to live to see.

 

[sparkso]

At the end of the day it’s hard to say whether the app was made to avoid police ambushes or ambush police. Right now there’s video proof that protesters are ambushing police so that gives apple a reason to pull the app. If the protesters were peaceful and the app was up I have a feeling Apple would have just kept the app going

Depending on what media you are view, there are alot more videos of the police just randomly arresting people during the day, and a lot more at night. At least the majority of citizens are using this app to avoid the police squads when they go out , for example, to have dinner.

 

[UK-MacAddict]

Not sure why everyone here is so critical of Apple in this situation.

It’s simple. China is a communist government that deems certain speech illegal so Apple doesn’t really have much of a choice as I see it. It’s a lose lose situation for them. They either remove the app and upset a few people here on macrumors OR they keep it up and upset the government where all their products are made.

Glad I live in a country where we at least have the illusion of free speech.

Hong Kong has special status under a one country, two systems rule. Residents are basically afforded the same rights and freedom of speech as those in the UK. It was under British rule for 150 years. When it was handed back to China it was under the agreement that those rights and laws were protected and followed for the next 50 years. China has just chosen to ignore them.

The app did not break any laws, it was purely a business decision from Apple who were afraid of China messing with their productions in the country.

 

[iapplelove]

Sure..

But no better time than now to support Samsung, HTC or Sony!

Do it! Show your support for those companies today! Put the Apple products in the drawer and show them who is boss!

isn’t Sony Japanese?

 

[sirozha]

Laws in HK and China are too numerous to list.I do not know the specific number and subsection. But they do have aiding and abetting laws.

was does not allow you to actively track police movements.

MOVEMENT tracking is the key here. I’ve used Waze in the past.
I may be wrong but I’ve never seen an alert for “two police cruisers traveling southbound on I95 at ex12 in anytown, USA...”

Your entire argument is void of any substance if you claim that the app violated a Hong Kong law one minute and say you don’t know what law the app violated. Perhaps in cases like this, it’s best to reserve you judgment lest you should be taken for a jokester.
[automerge]1570715675[/automerge]

isn’t Sony Japanese?

That’s the whole point.

 

[Classie]

It's a tough call, I think they did the right thing as controversial as it is

It is indeed! How could you let an app exist that track the police - that wouldn’t and shouldn’t be allowed in any democratic country.
I hope that HK keep on fighting!!

 

[sirozha]

Why didn’t Apple demand that the Hong Kong police immediately stop using the iPhones and iPads because they were attacking the protesters?