Whether in China or in Russia, Apple is increasingly having to make concessions to the political authorities of various countries. Business for the company — above all else, believe in Inosmi.
When Apple CEO Steve jobs on January 9 2007 in San Francisco introduced the world to the first iPhone, few of the guests of the ceremony were aware how quickly and radically the new smartphone will change the situation in the telecommunications market. With his appearance throughout became possible to send and receive news, audio and video recordings, and text messages. Mini-programs applications much make life easier for users. The euphoria presented ten years ago, jobs “Internet Communicator” as it was then called the charismatic head of Apple, in the first moment rose is incredible. Because with the new cell phone users had easy and unlimited access to information. Steve jobs has realized the dream of mankind, giving him unlimited freedom of information and opinion.
In 2017, ten years after the presentation of the first iPhone — in many countries this dream, however, has burst like a soap bubble. During the LTE, in contrast to strained start with extremely slow Edge standard smartphone has a speed, which at the end of the zero years, it was almost impossible to imagine. However, in contrast to those times, many applications some places are inaccessible to users.
In a Network there was a new lack of freedom, which in the beginning of the mobile Internet was absolutely incredible. Whether under the Communist dictatorship in China or liberal democracy in Russia — the limits of digital freedom is becoming increasingly visible. Pressure on the Internet giants of Silicon valley like Apple or Google is enhanced. Just a few days ago, Apple had to “cave” under the Chinese government. The group of Cupertino has removed from its Chinese App Store “New York Times” one of the most popular and respected Newspapers in the world. It is obvious that Beijing censors didn’t like her too independent and critical coverage of the situation in China.
And an online version of the newspaper, and so is blocked in China over the past five years — apparently due to critical articles on the subject of enrichment the then Prime Minister of China. By the way, a clear explanation regarding violations of certain laws by the American newspaper by the Chinese authorities, as in the previous case, was not followed. Protests from the editorial “New York Times” in Beijing deaf ears.
Media freedom on the Internet is limited in more and more countries. Apple and other Internet companies have to obey. The head of Apple Corporation Tim cook, like a mantra, repeats that his company respects the laws of the countries in which we operate. How strict are the laws, have demonstrated the latest case in Russia. Apple and Google have agreed to withdraw the application from the social network LinkedIn from their app stores, yielding to pressure from the authorities. The fact that President Vladimir Putin three years ago signed a law under which Internet companies are instructed to store personal information of Russian citizens on the territory of Russia, but not abroad. This condition LinkedIn, a subsidiary of the American giant Microsoft failed to do.
The fact that Apple and other us Internet companies “SAG” under the authorities of other countries, has a simple explanation: the business first for them. At the forefront is money, and only then moral. First and foremost, this applies to huge markets like China, where Apple already has to contend with a strong competitor in the face of Huawei. And in the face of the Russian authorities, the company from Silicon valley is also baffled. However, it is difficult to say whether Apple, Google and other correctly. After all, as rightly noticed by Bertolt Brecht, “whoever says A, must say B, because it may be that A was wrong”.
