That's just a theater. If anybody can join a group, there must be a way to distribute the keys to those who joined. Anybody can get a key then, including Whatsapp/Facebook.
The app makes sure only the people it thinks are in the channel get the keys. If you turn on the security notifications you can see how it works, you get a message when someone gets a new phone, that indicates they got a new key. You can even check if it matches up if you meet in person or if you communicated using another medium.
Those are not some private groups of 5 guys. Those group are available to millions of users.
Apple’s defence is IANAG (I am not a government). That’s fine, but it works both ways: we must remember when observing their marketing campaigns that buying nice things will not and cannot create a democratic and liberal world order.
Apple is not a government? That's fine. Let the government regulate them and break them up.
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. T…
> 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). Woah. I don’t know how I missed this news for so long.
They offset that with PR over refusing cooperation with the FBI. A lot easier to be principled in the countries where the rule of law is followed.
That's been a technique that apple have been using quite a bit. Forbid apps to be transparent with their customers around apple rules. This way app users are pissed at the app makers not apple.
Isn't this the same tactic that govt agencies use? Apple is simply borrowing the idea
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…
> They have a duty to protect their customers from clicking on unsightly and wrongful content
They don't.
> Customers expect that from apple
They shouldn't
> I wouldn't want any kid to end up accessing this channel on telegram.
It's parent's duty to protect their kid however they see fit, not Apple's.
https://t.me/durov/136 > Previously, when removing posts at Apple’s request, Telegram replaced those posts with a notice that cited the exact rule limiting such content for iOS users. However, Apple reached out to us a while ago and said our app is not allowed to show users such notices because they were “irrelevant”. Fucking hell, Apple. ---- cough https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Eighty-Four#Ministry_...
This feels like a step beyond the control Apple has exercised over apps previously. Threatening your access to the app store because they don't like the way you're censoring user generated content is beyond the pale and should finally bring regulators down like a ten ton hammer on them.
Once again we are reminded that power inevitably corrupts and must have limits. What a sad state to find Steve's scrappy underdog company in.
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…
Apple operates in Belarus and must respond to the pressures of the government. Americans would find it intrusive if Apple was strong enough to tell the US govt to back off.
> Americans would find it intrusive if Apple was strong enough to tell the US govt to back off.
Are you sure? I remember people backing Apple when they were protecting users phones from FBI hacking.
It's not. They don't allow NSFW apps on iOS even if it's user generated. They have to make it explicitly opt in with significant restrictions. Apple can do whatever they want on their platform. I wouldn't want to be involved in something illegal such as above when using an app on iOS accidentally.
> They don't allow NSFW apps on iOS even if it's user generated. Nit: apps may show user-generated adult content (with some restrictions), as long as such content is not the main purpose of the app. So a “porn browser” would not be allowed, but an “internet browser” is.
Some channels on Telegram show up as not accessible to Apple users because they "distribute pornography" even in cases when that was not the main purpose of the channel. There were cases when some users reposted porn gifs to group chats, admins did not delete them, then the whole chat got banned after user reported the chat. Notice: it's not even the _app's_ main purpose, they police the content down to specific channels, so the apps may _not_ show NSFW content it seems. I wonder when they'll start blocking specific websites in Safari.
Why not? If Instagram or Apple censors certain content, consumers can choose to move to Snapchat or Android, etc. If a government censors certain content, that's the end of the story.
Instagram can censor content on Instagram. Apple can censor content on the App Store. They should not do anything inside the apps on App Store.