Employee Claims Apple Has Threatened Termination Over Viral TikTok Video

[Abazigal]

This reddit post sheds light on the issue.

TikTok · Girlchild

368.3K likes, 5114 comments. “ok let’s talk about battery issues!”

www.tiktok.com

https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/wp8x4d/_/iki9rgc

 

[Nuno Lopes]

In my opinion the issue is to do with security. Tik-Tok is owned by Chinese company Bytedance who are rumoured to be in cahoots with the Chinese government with regards to accessing Tik-Tok's user database (users personal information, their messages and their videos). This woman has now identified herself as working for Apple which means she could become under the watchful eye of the Chinese government. It is well known that agents working for the Chinese government are used to gain/extract information about people, you know, gain their trust so they open up abit more about who they are and what they do. Apple would now see their employee as a security risk, which is why I think that have acted the way they have towards her.

Twitter is different because it is US owned therefore it's user database is out of the hands of the Chinese government which in my opinion is why Apple does not have a problem with Apple employees identifying themselves on twitter, but Tik-Tok is a totally different matter.

This reasoning as the base no US companies would be welcome outside the US soil. This would mean less money for US citizens … less employment, less private investment.

A bit of common sense is what humanity requires to get through these rough times

Cheers.

 

[ratsg]

Most people are on Linkedin so it isn’t difficult to figure out where they work.

My employer, in addition to NDA items, has a laundry list of items that it is not permissible for a current or past employee to post.

 

[fgladu]

When you take up a job, read what you are signing... I am pretty sure Apple is not going after her personally.

 

[joelhinch]

I get a feeling that there's more to the story here.

Watch Mark Robers pod with MKB. This isn’t unusual from Apple. They just don’t like employees being anything other than employees.

 

[Celtic-moniker]

H

Watch Mark Robers pod with MKB. This isn’t unusual from Apple. They just don’t like employees being anything other than employees.

ave a read of the post 5 up from here. Turns out there IS more.

 

[alexonline]

There is definitely more to the story….. but don’t expect Tim Cook to go on TikTok. Social media is a downfall. Especially the way it is used.

Apple will never launch a product called TimTok. Or TimTook. Besides, Apple tried its own social network with Ping, and bing! It went into the bin. Besides, we're still waiting for that mythical Apple Search Engine, which would be far nobler than some social seedier media app. 🤣😆

 

[alexonline]

"If you didn't make us look bad before, you have now by exposing our corporate inflexibility. You're canned. Sign this resignation document stating you will no longer publicly discuss this matter if you want your severance package."

Severance? That would be one way to keep Apple secrets... private. 😆🤣😂

 

[Unregistered 4U]

went viral without her control

Folks that are trying to go viral may be surprised when they do go viral, but, as that was their goal all along, going viral wasn’t entirely outside their control.

Well I'm following her on TikTok now!!! I like it!

That was always the goal, of course. Do something outrageous, get followers!

It should be clear by now that having any social media accounts will become a liability sooner or later.

I think the amount of liability is based on the person, not the social media. There are at least several hundred thousands of people using social media now and I have no idea who they are or who they work for.

But honestly, Apple doesn't value this employee or their customers. All Tim cares about is extra dollar bills and he is laughing at all of you and your dongles he sold you.

And you?

Severance? That would be one way to keep Apple secrets... private. 😆🤣😂

If the severance plan includes an NDA, then it’d be effective. Most folks would rather take the money and run and are happy staying quiet about it.

 

[groove-agent]

No it’s not.

It’s standard. Every company has a contract that states you cannot and should not represented the employer outside work hours without permission.

It’s really not hard to understand.

Even small businesses have these kind of contracts.

If you run a business you would do the same thing.

If you had any sense.

Otherwise your employees can say stupid **** or wrong advice that causes problems.

Every company? So you have intimate knowledge of every company and are sure there is a contract in place? Doubt it. That's impossible.

I've worked in at least a couple businesses and have seen some pretty awful things done to employees that they couldn't legally carry out. There was NO contract even remotely in place that you're describing.

 

[ratsg]

Apple will never launch a product called TimTok. Or TimTook. Besides, Apple tried its own social network with Ping, and bing! It went into the bin. Besides, we're still waiting for that mythical Apple Search Engine, which would be far nobler than some social seedier media app. 🤣😆

I forgot all about the search engine rumor. Definitely something I'd still be interested in seeing.

I've been pretty much exclusively using duckduckgo for many years, but they've taken some hits in the media, and the fact that they get their search data from bing causes a lot of concern.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

A dangerous game for her to play especially considering the lack of employment laws in the US. I think if I were her I’d be looking to terminate my own employment and find a company less sensitive to being mildly talked about.

 

[alexonline]

Folks that are trying to go viral may be surprised when they do go viral, but, as that was their goal all along, going viral wasn’t entirely outside their control.


That was always the goal, of course. Do something outrageous, get followers!


I think the amount of liability is based on the person, not the social media. There are at least several hundred thousands of people using social media now and I have no idea who they are or who they work for.


And you?


If the severance plan includes an NDA, then it’d be effective. Most folks would rather take the money and run and are happy staying quiet about it.

I meant Severance as per the Apple TV+ show

 

[canyonblue737]

Sounds like Apple is seeking for another class action lawsuit with a $30 Million settlement 🤣

companies can absolutely make such restrictions legally.

 

[kingtj1971]

And you, on the other hand, have exactly the kind of histrionic reaction typical of forums. You've got half the story and you're furious. Not only that but you're making comparisons to something that's completely unrelated simply because the Start Trek thing also annoyed you. In which sense I guess it is "really no different" because both give you a springboard to get angry. Oh well. Welcome to the internet.

Ok... it looks like, indeed, I only had "half the story" because MacRumors was incapable of providing us with the whole story. The follow-up post someone made, from ArsTechnica, linked to another video she made where she essentially insulted customers and made fun of them over iOS battery issues is a pretty significant problem. THAT is essential to understanding Apple's actions here.

But yes, I'm angry about the original story and what it would mean if that was the only video she made that Apple took issue with. Similar situations happen over and over, thanks to over-zealous legal departments that encourage companies to aggressively go after any and all instances where someone talks about them or their IP without getting formal written permission from them first.

If you want to nit-pick and claim the Star Trek issue was "completely unrelated"? Sure, we can go there. We can say, "Well... one is ABSOLUTELY unrelated because it's about fan fiction made by people who weren't Paramount employees." That utterly misses my original point though. This isn't about me specifically upset that employment contracts are too restrictive.

 

[bullamakanka]

Big Corp is an odd beast. I worked at Disney for a short time. I posted a few things in forums DEFENDING the company, setting some theories straight. I was reprimanded; they even had printouts of everything I'd written online. I even asked "wouldn't you want bad information corrected?" They said No. Like Disney, I'm sure Apple and other big companies have departments whose sole purpose is to scan social media for comments by employees.

 

[kingtj1971]

Big Corp is an odd beast. I worked at Disney for a short time. I posted a few things in forums DEFENDING the company, setting some theories straight. I was reprimanded; they even had printouts of everything I'd written online. I even asked "wouldn't you want bad information corrected?" They said No. Like Disney, I'm sure Apple and other big companies have departments whose sole purpose is to scan social media for comments by employees.

Yep... and that bothers me. I understand why they try to do it, but it's just not a good look for a business. It says, loud and clear, "We don't want the general public to know anything about us besides the responses we curate before sanctioning for release!"

If your own employees are saying GOOD things about you? Well, they're the ones in the best position to have informed opinions, so maybe you should just leave it be and give them the freedom to speak/write freely?

And even if they're saying BAD things about you? I think the smart move there is to look at what's claimed and ask if it has validity. If not, then you have good reason to take action against that employee. Otherwise, the company's time and money would be better spent trying to correct the wrong than going after the employee to stop it from being said! (That would make for some great P.R.; quoting your own employee's negative online post or comment and then explaining how it was examined, and action taken to make things better.)

Once you fire the employee, you're really no longer going to have any control over what they say or write about you anyway (assuming it's accurate)!

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Big Corp is an odd beast. I worked at Disney for a short time. I posted a few things in forums DEFENDING the company, setting some theories straight. I was reprimanded; they even had printouts of everything I'd written online. I even asked "wouldn't you want bad information corrected?" They said No. Like Disney, I'm sure Apple and other big companies have departments whose sole purpose is to scan social media for comments by employees.

It’s likely similar to telling a retail manager, “Don’t you want me to run outside the store and catch people stealing things?” No, all of the things that can potentially go wrong outweigh whatever good would be done.

They’d rather tell you AND everyone else “no” because then they don’t ever have to worry about you speaking incorrect or improper stuff. Well, until after you’ve left. Thing is, lots of people have good intentions. But, if they haven’t been trained/authorized to speak for the company, it’s VERY easy for them to say/do something that may go viral and hurt the company. Heck, it’s easy for the folks paid to communicate for the company to do something wrong so anyone else is just a time bomb that will eventually go off.

 

[ipponrg]

If your own employees are saying GOOD things about you? Well, they're the ones in the best position to have informed opinions, so maybe you should just leave it be and give them the freedom to speak/write freely?

Instead of spending resources filtering the good from the bad and dealing with the grey area of regulating opinions, it’s easier to just make it a rule to say if you are not hired to represent the company publicly, then don’t voice in forums.

You can exercise your freedom to speak/write. No one said that there are no consequences

 

[russell_314]

This reddit post sheds light on the issue.

TikTok · Girlchild

368.3K likes, 5114 comments. “ok let’s talk about battery issues!”

www.tiktok.com

https://www.reddit.com/r/apple/comments/wp8x4d/_/iki9rgc

OK I’m torn with this one. She’s not berating anyone. She’s being honest and some people don’t like honesty because it hurts their feelings. I would love to link her video as a reply to every post by someone who created MacRumors account just to ask why is their battery health at 97%. She probably hears this question so many times a day that it’s built up frustration.

This being said the issue I have with her is she saying she works for Apple. Now with her saying that she is representing the company by using their name. I wouldn’t disagree if Apple fired her because maybe what she is saying it’s not in the tone Apple wants to present to its customers. I think she would’ve been fine if she just didn’t advertise the fact that she worked for Apple. Of course she wouldn’t have so many TikTok followers either.

Most companies have a social media policy. If I made that post she made and mentioned the company I work for there would be no threats to fire me because I would be gone. There would be no warning or anything. It would just be you’re terminated, goodbye

 

[Unregistered 4U]

I understand why they try to do it, but it's just not a good look for a business. It says, loud and clear, "We don't want the general public to know anything about us besides the responses we curate before sanctioning for release!"

Businesses don’t mind saying that, loud and clear, because everyone over, say, 12 already knows that to be true. Probably shortly after they realize that rabbits don’t have a lot to do with eggs at ALL really, and that there’s a reason why there’s not a rash of reports of breaking and entering on the morning of December 25th.

 

[russell_314]

Businesses don’t mind saying that, loud and clear, because everyone over, say, 12 already knows that to be true. Probably shortly after they realize that rabbits don’t have a lot to do with eggs at ALL really, and that there’s a reason why there’s not a rash of reports of breaking and entering on the morning of December 25th.

Exactly! If I saw a business letting random employees speak for it I would question who if anyone is in charge. I’m sure anyone with basic knowledge of business knows how this works.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Exactly! If I saw a business letting random employees speak for it I would question who if anyone is in charge. I’m sure anyone with basic knowledge of business knows how this works.

OR, it’s some poor attempt at a viral campaign that everyone knows will fall flat.

 

[The-Real-Deal82]

Most companies have a social media policy. If I made that post she made and mentioned the company I work for there would be no threats to fire me because I would be gone. There would be no warning or anything. It would just be you’re terminated, goodbye

Can a company sack you without a written warning and going through the correct consultation process? Fairly sure they can’t, or at least in the UK they can’t as this is hardly gross misconduct.

 

[4nNtt]

100% in Apple's corner here. She can be a comic for all I care, inappropriate representation is inappropriate representation. Respect the culture and rules of the place you work for, especially when they do make sense.

To those people defending the TikToker, saying she gives good advice. Take a look at her other video on Apple devices. She blames the customer for almost all battery issues. She makes scrunched up faces and condescending impressions of customers, implying that they are all stupid for wasting her time. I am sure there is some truth in that people overstate their battery woes all the time, but I am even MORE sure that Apple does not want its employee to publicly assert that its customers are morons. She is a freaking loose cannon, and Apple should can her.

It’s not that bad. People are overly sensitive these days...