Apple Threatens to Ban Parler From App Store as Twitter Bans Donald Trump

[horsebattery]

There is an experiment that has been repeated many times. In it you take people who oppose each other politically they have to explain their opponents position until the person who disagrees with them agrees they have correctly articulated it. So a democrat and republicans each have to explain each other’s positions to each other’s satisfaction. Haidt has done this and consistently people on the right can do this trivially and people on the left struggle. Your post is an example of one possible reason why - many of the left lack empathy for their opponents because they ascribe malice to all their ideas and so cannot bring themselves to articulate them to the satisfaction of those they disagree with. Try it sometimes. It’s a good exercise because it helps us understand one another.

I'm not aware of his experiments so I can't speak to the results, but I am aware of the overarching theories surrounding the effects of biases people have in society between one another (it's a popular research topic given the last four years). I understand that most people aren't inherently "evil" in the sense that they wish ill harm onto the other party, and that often times people with the opposite ideas simply have a difference in beliefs.

That said, I certainly could have incorrectly believed someone else is truly malicious - especially over an internet forum with strangers, where there's very little benefit of the doubt I can truly provide others. Which is why you'd often to have to go with wondering whether they're speaking in good faith or not.

 

[ssledoux]

Oh, now you have totally revealed yourself. Straight to the race card I see. Kamala Harris' father is of African heritage, and she is an American. You are so so so very open at this point about your very limited racially-defined view of the world.

You are so delusional it’s insane. Typical liberal - pick out a single line out of a context you clearly aren’t even paying attention to, jump on it, and ignore the rest.

 

[2010mini]

No... I mean do not remove Parler... it censors everyone on app.

didn’t realize Apple was the US government. I thought conservatives we pro private companies being free to make decisions wether we like it or not?

 

[Spizike9]

So what's "6 million wasn't enough" referring to? Please, educate me. Go on, I'm waiting. Why do the Proud Boys commonly wear this as a motto? Go on...

Oh, here's a hint: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/proud-boy-6mwe/

And yes, there were many examples of this and similar neo nazi mottos all over Wednesday's duck dynasty revolutionaries. You don't get to party in that crowd and not be of that crowd.

Did you miss the part where I said the guy is an idiot for thinking 6 million wasn’t enough? Am no they haven’t commonly wore it as their motto. I’ve watched many Antifa/Proud Boys clash and this is the first time I’m seeing it. Have they before? Probably, but it definitely isn’t wore commonly.

 

[hagar]

From what, 75 million Americans?

You think 75 million Americans are calling for a violent coup and attack on democracy? Because that’s what people on that platform advocate for. Without any moderation.

It’s time for the US to start healing and that means to divorce from the non stop hate speech and fake news spoon fed in their bubbles. The Trump era has imploded and recovering will take many years. Big tech will have a big responsibility to facilitate this proces.

 

[ThisBougieLife]

didn’t realize Apple was the US government. I thought conservatives we pro private companies being free to make decisions wether we like it or not?

Only if the private companies are run by conservatives.

 

[jimbobb24]

Yes. Criminal idiots committing the crime of sedition (and others) while attempting to literally block through violence the democratic selection of the duly-elected next President of the United States. They attacked, literally attacked, our Capital. This has only once happened in the War of 1812, and this time it was a bunch of treasonous thugs from the inside. And you know what? They are being hunted at this very moment, one by one, and being brought to justice. And the penalties are going to be very, very serious, methinks. And I support it FULLY when these people are locked up and the keys are thrown away. History will damn the GOP in its final days

Nearly everyone supports locking them up. That’s not a novel position. I support locking them up. Trump says he supports that to. That is the universal position.

But it’s not an attack when they walk into a poorly secured building (why was that - I have no idea) and do some vandalism. Put them all away but don’t blow it out of proportion.

 

[joelhinch]

This is disgusting behaviour from Apple.

 

[countryside]

Apple is protected by §230, as is Twitter, as Parler should be as well. They can say the banning is for public safety and for holding an app responsible for things said on it. Well.

There are crimes and murders planned and coordinated on iPhones every day, if stats are to be believed. Apple doesn't mind encrypted messaging apps on the store. The company has taken a stand to prevent the FBI from having access even to encrypted devices by terrorists.

These social media apps are used by real people. Real people who believe all kinds of insane conspiracy theories about politics, aliens, cancer cures. Hundreds of millions of people have religious beliefs which I consider bat guano level of absurdity. All on this platform.

This seems to be a specifically targeted move. This is not a good precedent.

Ironically, isn't Apple basically asking Parler to possibly violate their 230 protection? The protection that actually applies to Apple? So so strange.

I do not believe we need to be in the business of fact-checking. To your point, do we remove pro-islam or pro-christian content from App Store? Many would say it is false. These moves muddy the waters.

Apple, despite being a left-leaning company, has a strong conservative following... and liberal following... because they do stand for privacy, which is a fairly bipartisan issue. I think a lot of people respect that. I hope they do not overly politicize the brand by removing certain avenues of speech. They have a good thing going right now (not that there are any other alternatives to Apple).

 

[Rafterman]

Why are people making this political. This has nothing to do with Left or Right, Democrats or Republicans. This has to do with a bunch of thugs using the platform to create harm without moderation. If you think that planning murders is acceptable and is considered free speech, then you have a problem.

The weather is political these days. But this is nothing new. My grandparents said you should have been around in the 1930s during FDR. You'd swear Satan was running the country, listening to many. The isolationists on one side, interventonistds on the other, and literal Ameican Nazis holding rallies.

 

[burgman]

When Apple exerts pressure on developers to impose Apple’s speech standards, which are by no means absolute, on the developer’s app’s users, it becomes a free speech issue. The problem is that all our soap boxes and printing presses have been digitized and are largely controlled by a few corporations. Two-hundred forty-five years ago the equivalent would have been for King George to confiscate all the lead, so that no types could be cast.

I wish people would actually read the 1st amendment before making silly statement. For any large company it’s about what they choose to host and more importantly the liability of that hosting. People died in DC, the lawyers aren’t far behind. Personally I’m taking great joy thinking about the domestic terrorists frantically erasing their streams from social media hiding in their prepper safe place with their phones wrapped in tinfoil. Waiting for the knock on the door.

 

[ssledoux]

Doanld Trump said he would send his investigators to Hawaii to get tot the bottom of Obama's birth. And like everything else Trump promises - zip. Once again, Trump litertally says things right from his own mouth and you refuse to believe it.

Can’t refuse to believe something you never heard.

 

[jimbobb24]

It may not have been a storming of the Bastille, but the bottom line is, these people have bought into the false proposition that the election was stolen, and they need to "take back our country (not) with weakness. You have to show strength." - Trump's own words, prior. These people's intent was very clear and it wasn't peaceful.

It was peaceful for the vast majority of them.
Also are these the words people are calling incitement. Trump is even ineffective at inciting violence. How opaque is that. And only about 1% of the crowd was able to understand his secret command. He fails even at inciting violence.

 

[Nicky G]

Maybe I am just not hyperventilating becasue I am old. I have seen more than one riot in DC in my life and seen many politicians come and go and have seen it’s more important we understand and have empathy for one another than go crazy.

Then my friend, I am going to chalk it up as you being old, and very defined by your old ways. You have never seen anything CLOSE to a violent armed mob storm our Capital and attempt to overthrow representative democracy as the next President was being certified. Don't even act like that has ever occurred in our nation's history, from within anyway. War of 1812 was the only other time the Capital fell, look it up. A sick, sad day for our country and the Republican Party that has been fomenting and enabling this garbage for YEARS.

I mostly think a lot of the excusers excuse it because deep down they know this is the logical sick outgrowth of what the party has actually been about for many years, and that they themselves have been part of enabling this. And they just can't look themselves in the mirror and admit that it has come to this. Well you know -- it has. It has. And those of us with eyes wide open enough to see and are not shrouded in our own privilege can see it very, very clearly.

 

[Rafterman]

Ironically, isn't Apple basically asking Parler to possibly violate their 230 protection? The protection that actually applies to Apple? So so strange.

I do not believe we need to be in the business of fact-checking. To your point, do we remove pro-islam or pro-christian content from App Store? Many would say it is false. These moves muddy the waters.

Apple, despite being a left-leaning company, has a strong conservative following... and liberal following... because they do stand for privacy, which is a fairly bipartisan issue. I think a lot of people respect that. I hope they do not overly politicize the brand by removing certain avenues of speech. They have a good thing going right now (not that there are any other alternatives to Apple).

For the fiftieth time, hate speech, calls for violence and racism is not protected or free speech. Especially for a private company, not bound by ther first amendment when it comes to their own services.

 

[countryside]

didn’t realize Apple was the US government. I thought conservatives we pro private companies being free to make decisions wether we like it or not?

I 100% believe they can do that. Doesn't mean I can't wish they wouldn't do something or disagree with a decision.

 

[Nicky G]

But it’s not an attack when they walk into a poorly secured building (why was that - I have no idea) and do some vandalism. Put them all away but don’t blow it out of proportion.

You need to watch the videos that are out there. Watch them. Really, really watch them. Because if you have, your eyes were not open. It is very easy to spot the literal domestic terrorists in the crowd. Many reports of people talking about killing politicians. A LITERAL NOOSE SET UP WITHIN FEET OF THE CAPITAL. Get. Freaking. REAL. Or don't -- I don't actually give a crap, because the world -- it is moving on, and we are going to make it better for everyone, no matter their skin color. Even white people. Because living in a sick racist world is good for NONE OF US.

 

[Dhonk]

My only level of concern with this is that it's awkward they can ban someone for plotting a riot at the capitol, but in Egypt Facebook and social media were praised for their role in inciting the Arab Spring Movement. I voted for DJT once (and regret it), I'm ashamed of his actions and leadership, and I would love to see him silenced....but it's a bit awkward when we're saying one country's uprising is bad because it encourages violence while another country's uprising is great because it encourages democracy.

 

[TheAustrianGuy]

It is a progressive misconception that you can prevent „unwanted“ thoughts by suppressing them.

If you take away peoples‘ ability to say what they think, they will express their opinion at the only place where no one can prevent it: In the voting booth.

This will backfire. Badly.

 

[jimbobb24]

https://forums.macrumors.com/attachments/1610138134287-png.1709124/

Is that speech ok with you? Because Parler has no policy against it.

That is a good example of something that might be considered unprotected speech. It reads like a rallying cry that is common for people getting people excited for a rally but I agree it sounds like actual incitement to violence.

 

[vipergts2207]

I realize and am fully cogent that we have a 2 party system, I'm one of those weird people who is not emotionally invested in either one, I don't believe either narrative. They're all just the magical picture show, while the CIA, NSA and Pentagon continue running "our" country (and we don't get to vote for any of them). And, the Rothschild family continues printing all the Monopoly money via the FED.

My question would be: there's something like 75 million people who voted for Trump, he received more votes than any other Republican candidate in history if I'm not mistaken. So what exactly is the path forward for the United States if the entire country is this divided?

Out of the available candidates I believe Kanye West had the best grasp of "reality" and was the least delusional.

The path forward is to let the representatives who just won the election run our government. That’s the way our government works. 75 million people may have voted for Trump, but more voted for Biden. Not that it decides who is president anyway. Folks who lost can try again in the next election. Overthrowing our democracy is absolutely not the path forward.

 

[Nicky G]

and literal Ameican Nazis holding rallies.

There are pictures of mass nazi rallies in Madison Square Garden, it is a sight. These people have always been the dark underbelly of the United States. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

 

[tubomac]

Apple is a private company and can remove content from their store to protect their brand.

Wrong! very wrong! what you say is what PCC and North Korea do with opinions they don't like. If you are press or media you can censor who you like because you are responsible for the contents you publish. In case something against the law is written in press pages, the state judiciary decides, not the first billionaire who thinks he may have the power of the judges. If you are a social platform or a private company you have not the right to censor anyone for political reasons. A single individual is responsible for what he writes not the platform. And anyway, I would feel sad also if what's happening now to parler happens to anyone who has opinions opposite to mines. This is democracy! freedom of expression regardless.

 

[countryside]

For the fiftieth time, hate speech, calls for violence and racism is not protected or free speech. Especially for a private company, not bound by ther first amendment when it comes to their own services.

Is Apple wrong to not unlock an iPhone for a terrorist? That is certainly violent... Why is the Ayatollah of Iran allowed on Twitter? Who decides what is hate speech?

 

[Rafterman]

You are so delusional it’s insane. Typical liberal - pick out a single line out of a context you clearly aren’t even paying attention to, jump on it, and ignore the rest.

Oh, get off it, everyone does that. I could say "typical conservative" too when it comes to cherrypicking.