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Apple tells Telegram to take down protestor channels in Belarus

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Re: Apple tells Telegram to take down protestor channels in Belarus

#71

Post by baybal2 »

pleasebegood wrote: post #48
spacemanmatt wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Telegram is Apple's own platform? Are you saying Apple is involved in something illegal by allowing Telegram to distribute software through the App Store, since people use it to dox Putin-aligned police in Belarus?

There is already a precedent for apple to not allow apps that doesn't align with its content policies even if user generated. Anything NSFW is not allowed by default and without explicit warnings. Porn is not allowed. Drug stores are not allowed. Gab is not allowed. Imageboards aren't. Why would this be different? Apple owns the app store and the iOS platform. They have a duty to protect their customers from clicking…

> clicking on content

If you believe democracy to be unsightly and wrongful, then your believes are reactionary, and must be subject to rectification.

Re: Apple tells Telegram to take down protestor channels in Belarus

#72

Post by haroldegibbons »

I don't see much difference between big tech and dictatorships. They rule and govern people, they extract their wealth, and they crush or buy off all opposition. It can't last and I'm genuinely concerned for bigwigs and common people alike. It's easy to become disconnected from reality when you're that rich, and I don't think the masses are going to buy the "we're just a tech company" thing much longer.

Re: Apple tells Telegram to take down protestor channels in Belarus

#74

Post by pleasebegood »

baybal2 wrote: post #71
pleasebegood wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is already a precedent for apple to not allow apps that doesn't align with its content policies even if user generated. Anything NSFW is not allowed by default and without explicit warnings. Porn is not allowed. Drug stores are not allowed. Gab is not allowed. Imageboards aren't. Why would this be different? Apple owns the app store and the iOS platform. They have a duty to protect their customers from clicking…

> clicking on content If you believe democracy to be unsightly and wrongful, then your believes are reactionary, and must be subject to rectification.

In which world is democracy doxing and planning violence against people?

Re: Apple tells Telegram to take down protestor channels in Belarus

#75

Post by vbezhenar »

PureParadigm wrote: post #13

This is a complete double-standard. Telegram messages are user-generated content. Is Apple going to start blocking websites in the Safari app? I'm sure one could find a lot worse things than doxxing by using Safari.

If China would threaten to ban iPhones, surely Apple will block websites.

The difference is that governments can block websites without Apple approval. But governments can't block app content without blocking the entire AppStore, so they have to reach Apple.

Re: Apple tells Telegram to take down protestor channels in Belarus

#76

Post by Dylan16807 »

f1refly wrote: post #46
tobyhinloopen wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wasn’t there some kind of rule that bad guys in TV shows cant have iphones?

No. Apple just doesn't give away free stuff for the bad guys. When producers enquiry apple if they can get devices without cost, apple only gives them for the good guys. If the bad ones should be seen on camera with iphones, the production has to buy them.

Phones are ridiculously cheap compared to shows and movies. That can't be it.

Re: Apple tells Telegram to take down protestor channels in Belarus

#77

Post by Yetanfou »

xiphias2 wrote: post #29
usr1106 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't be so optimistic. Apple and Google are a duopoly to control mobile messaging (outside of China). Not for me, I use a Linux phone (Sailfish OS) with no Google. Not for real activists (criminals in the eyes es of oppressive governments like Chaina, Belarus, Russia, Iran, Turkey, ...) who will always find their way. But for 98% of any population.

Allowing sideloading for Android makes Google much harder to control the platform. I’d not be surprised though if sideloading would be not allowed in the future.

I don't see them disallowing side-loading soon but what I do expect is an expansion of the SafetyNet [1] test which will flag devices with any side-loaded software as 'suspicious', upon which banking and electronic ID apps will refuse to run. Since this will render the device all but useless for many people it will either force them to carry two devices - one for such 'official' stuff, the other for the rest - or to try to find a way around SafetyNet. This is a cat-and-mouse game which has been going on for a number of years and will continue to do so until either Google goes full Apple by locking down the platform or some sort of 'safe enclave' is created which can run on any device no matter its status. Google clamping down too hard will give extra impetus to the further development of alternative mobile operating systems, the viability of which increases with the rise of web-based alternatives for native apps.

[1] https://www.xda-developers.com/safetynet-hardware-attestatio...

Re: Apple tells Telegram to take down protestor channels in Belarus

#79

Post by fauigerzigerk »

ghostcluster wrote: post #34
john_minsk wrote: post #10

I'm from Belarus. Honestly, I'm surprised Apple gives a shit. Now I'm worried that Apple can cooperate with local police in case they make inquiry. Am I safe? Here is the link to one group that uses ML to de-anonymize people: https://youtu.be/FAJIrnphTFg

You've got to just hope that Apple realizes how bad this would blow up in their face if they worked with police in Belarus to identify democratic protestors, especially given their emphasis on "privacy" in their marketing.

How would it blow up in their face when Apple's customers don't care?

Apple has handed over the entire operation of iCloud in China to a regime owned company, including all user data and keys (they did warn users that they were going to do that though).

At the same time they do not permit side-loading, thereby handing complete control over what users are allowed to install on their devices to authoritarian regimes.

This is not simply "complying with local laws" as they like to present it.

Re: Apple tells Telegram to take down protestor channels in Belarus

#80

Post by afwe »

whyoh wrote: post #51
DaiPlusPlus wrote: post #6

Through what right or means can Apple demand this, though? Telegram is a platform for user-generated content and it seems odd for Apple to single-out those 3 channels/groups specifically - what about the hundreds of thousands of other objectionable groups on Telegram? And why Telegram in particular? Why doesn't Apple give the same ultimatum to Facebook to pressure them to block access to militant ethnonationalist gro…

Well, one technical reason is that WhatsApp groups — unlike Telegram groups — use encryption. So Facebook doesn't know what goes on inside them.

They can see the title and possibly the picture, though. (People who know this use inconspicuous names and pictures)
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