Media Watchdog Advises Journalists in China to Avoid Using iCloud Accounts, Citing Privacy Fears

[neutralguy]

Wait, this recommendation doesn't make sense at all, and I suspect they don't understand the tech behind their recommendation. Every article I read previously said it's the region of the Apple ID iCloud account that dictates whether the Chinese servers are used or not. That was even the clarification Apple had to make when some accounts were mistakenly told they would be transferred over. All the reports, and Apple, has said if your region is not China, your data won't be in China, only those with a Chinese region. So, as far as I can tell from what we've been told previously, this doesn't impact travelers at all - unless they're Chinese travelers.
[doublepost=1518109415][/doublepost]

Growth. The stock market demands they show growth, or they're "doomed" and the stock price falls. That's the bad side of being a public company. I'd bet they'd buy back all their stock if they thought it was feasible.

Are you telling me that Facebook and Google are not able to show growth without China?

 

[Wondercow]

Our freedom of speech is also manipulated, too. Many people have made charges of biased policies on social media as it pertains to political expression

That's not an example of manipulation of freedom of speech. Freedom of expression is strictly limited to the government not unreasonably limiting one's ability to do so; I can't think of any country where that applies to private parties. Any social media site that isn't government run can limit speech with impunity. They can have different rules, apply the rules unfairly, ban people, etc. and none of it affects freedom of speech.

 

[lowendlinux]

I'm curious what services the journalist using iCloud in China are supposed to migrate to ?

The ruling seems to apply to all web services in China and people there can also not setup VPN networks.

A lockdown only works if there are no ways to bypass it.

It doesn't take to long to set up a Digital Ocean droplet and they have servers in the US and Europe. Creating your personal cloud off Chinese soil would probably be the only solution

 

[npmacuser5]

It doesn't take to long to set up a Digital Ocean droplet and they have servers in the US and Europe. Creating your personal cloud off Chinese soil would probably be the only solution

China will just block all traffic to Digital Ocean if they deem it necessary. Try doing a google search within China.

 

[lowendlinux]

China will just block all traffic to Digital Ocean if they deem it necessary. Try doing a google search within China.

Eventually I'm sure they would

 

[Will.O.Bie]

China controls every aspect of the internet within their boarders. They can access anyones devices or any data they choose. If encryption causing a problem, they send a text or a personal visit to say turn it off. First warning, you do not want to get a second warning. A fellow traveler decided to use a VPN to get around their internet rules. In Shanghai, 30 million people, on the 20th hotel floor, and within a couple hours two nicely dressed Chinese Security at his door, first warning. In China, nowhere to hide if one attaches their internet. Sum it up. If they cannot get access to your data by technology they just politely ask, one time.

I had the same experience years ago. I thought I was living in the Dark Ages, then I realized, "Yes, I'm in China now." Countries like that make me very grateful and humbled by that experience, that I don't live in countries where they can, and will, control everything they want. Countries' governments are never perfect, but given the alternative living in conditions like that, I'm truly grateful to be an American.

 

[thelookingglass]

I had the same experience years ago. I thought I was living in the Dark Ages, then I realized, "Yes, I'm in China now." Countries like that make me very grateful and humbled by that experience, that I don't live in countries where they can, and will, control everything they want. Countries' governments are never perfect, but given the alternative living in conditions like that, I'm truly grateful to be an American.

It's not that you were living in the Dark Ages, it's that you can't read Chinese (I'm assuming) so the Chinese internet was useless to you. If you haven't been back there recently, their mobile internet is so much more advanced than hours in stuff like payments and ecommerce. It's really quite amazing.

But that said, I do breathe a sigh of relief everytime I get back home. Using the unhindered/unfiltered internet at high speeds is definitely glorious.

 

[EvanEiga]

Are you telling me that Facebook and Google are not able to show growth without China?

FWIW, Google and Facebook won't really become a monopoly that it is here in the US in China. Chinese government don't play by the rule, and they subtly don't discourage copyright infringement. If you look at it.

Western/international service VS Chinese knockoffs:
ICQ MSN vs QQ
WhatsApp vs WeChat
Apple vs Xiaomi
Samsung vs Huawei
Yelp vs Dazhong dian ping
Twitter vs Weibo
Paypal vs Alipay
Uber/Lyft vs Didi
Facebook vs renren
Google vs Baidu

the list goes on and on. All those companies and services are well known in the rest of the world but they've all lost their battle in China.
Why? There are 2 markets in the world, the international one and the Chinese one. Also, the government is behind it.

 

[mistasopz]

I disagree. China was not backing down on this at all and you folks who are criticizing Apple for this decision would then be upset over the loss of China as a market for those of you who are shareholders.

You don’t get to have it both ways. Either they do this or they lose sales.

Google told the Chinese Gov to go pound sand when they were being pressured to hand over data and manipulate search results. They eventually pulled out of China because of it. Maybe it cost them a big market but it makes me more proud of Google to stand up like that against one of the biggest markets in the world. The more Apple cozies up to Beijing, the more I feel like they are just virtue signaling their way to the bank, hoping consumers won't find out.

 

[JediZenMaster]

Google told the Chinese Gov to go pound sand when they were being pressured to hand over data and manipulate search results. They eventually pulled out of China because of it. Maybe it cost them a big market but it makes me more proud of Google to stand up like that against one of the biggest markets in the world. The more Apple cozies up to Beijing, the more I feel like they are just virtue signaling their way to the bank, hoping consumers won't find out.

Well to paint Google as being benevolent because of that move is not really a good comparison.

Apple is a hardware company and has to tow the line with what fits consumers versus shareholder return.

That’s the price you pay when you are a global company that is hardware first and makes very little off services.

 

[rdy0329]

Are all accounts that use a Chinese carrier automatically assumed to be Chinese or does the migration happen only if your account region is set to china?

My Aunt's account which is set to China even if she permanently lives in the Philippines are getting an e-mail about this big move. You'll have an option to completely disable your account or change region before the 28th.

 

[onepoint]

Let's not forget - Apple heavily relies on manufacturers located in China (and conversely, those manufacturers rely on Apple). I doubt that's a boat Apple would want to rock.

 

[Shirasaki]

Let's not forget - Apple heavily relies on manufacturers located in China (and conversely, those manufacturers rely on Apple). I doubt that's a boat Apple would want to rock.

And it is very hard for Apple to find an alternative of China to fully satisfy its demand of each generation of devices. Everyone hates China and its blasphemous move to economically rule the world. The thing is, there is no alternative. And I am sure no country want to accept 1.5b people flooding into the country.

 

[chucker23n1]

True. But I don't see Google or Facebook bending over backwards to get business in China. Why is Apple so desperate for China business?

Google and Facebook are data-driven ad businesses. They don't stand much of a chance in China in the first place.

Apple is in the business of selling hardware (especially phones), which works out quite well in China, and which they'll continue to want to do.

It's a poor comparison.

 

[neutralguy]

Google and Facebook are data-driven ad businesses. They don't stand much of a chance in China in the first place.

Apple is in the business of selling hardware (especially phones), which works out quite well in China, and which they'll continue to want to do.

It's a poor comparison.

Nice deflection! In this case apple is dealing with data, isn't it? Just to get the hardware business, they are ok to compromise on data. Google and Facebook can do the same.. for them it's ads.

 

[Vjosullivan]

It’s about time somebody had the balls to stand up to China.

Yeah. How dare they sell us stuff we want to buy. That's just evil. Shame on them. Break out the pitchforks! What do you mean we haven't got any? Who can get us pitchforks quickly and cheaply? China you say? Great, get an order off to them for a thousand pitchforks by next week. We'll show'em who's boss!

 

[chucker23n1]

Nice deflection! In this case apple is dealing with data, isn't it? Just to get the hardware business, they are ok to compromise on data. Google and Facebook can do the same.. for them it's ads.

Why ask a question you don’t want a possible answer to?