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Apple, Google criticised for Saudi Absher app that tracks women

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Re: Apple, Google criticised for Saudi Absher app that tracks women

#51
post #47

I can’t believe that Lyft doesn’t cover the Bay Area with billboards that say “Saudi Arabia beats women and owns 10% of Uber.” “Saudi Arabia murders gay people and owns 10% of Uber.” “Saudi Arabia crucified two people last year and owns 10% of Uber.”

i think I am actually going to switch to Lyft after reading this

Same here, I didn't realize that Saudi Arabia was a huge investor. That sickens me.

Re: Apple, Google criticised for Saudi Absher app that tracks women

#52
post #31
post #2

The precedent has already been set (e.g. Infowars) that hosting an app on your platform is an endorsement of the content and the publisher of the app.

Agreed. Plausible deniability is maintained but the facts are the same. We, as a society, need to move away from the silly idea that companies should be moral judicators.

If we’re going to continue to allow these companies to enjoy as much power, money, and influence as entire nations, why wouldn’t we expect them to be moral leaders? From my perspective it would seem they are precisely the kind of people we want pushing for basic human rights.

Re: Apple, Google criticised for Saudi Absher app that tracks women

#53

I can’t believe that Lyft doesn’t cover the Bay Area with billboards that say “Saudi Arabia beats women and owns 10% of Uber.” “Saudi Arabia murders gay people and owns 10% of Uber.” “Saudi Arabia crucified two people last year and owns 10% of Uber.”

They can't because Saudi Arabia also owns part of Lyft (2.3%):

https://www.reuters.com/article/lyft-kingdom-holding-ma/saud...

Re: Apple, Google criticised for Saudi Absher app that tracks women

#54
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you just not been paying attention or something?

I am aware of the repression of women in SA but I didn't realize they weren't even allowed to leave the country. The addition of real time tracking technology just makes it that much more horrifying. Imagine being a woman trying to escape domestic abuse and being returned to your abuser when you try to flee.

Pointing out that your use of language is dismissive is pretty much the opposite of jaded.

I guess it's probably moderately condescending, but it's hard to do that sort of thing well.

Do note that I said "act astonished" and didn't really insist that you must be ignorant.

Re: Apple, Google criticised for Saudi Absher app that tracks women

#55
I don’t agree with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s stances, but I also feel like keeping a list of each state that violates human rights is not in Tim Cook’s or Sundar Pichai’s job description. If we are just being honest with ourselves the list of countries in which you can do business approaches 0 if we call out the violators. Secondly, the last time I checked a company’s mandate is to abide by the laws of the country in which it conducts business and to make a profit for shareholders. I’m all for exceeding this goal, but it should not be incumbent upon a company to follow the geopolitical climate and react.

Re: Apple, Google criticised for Saudi Absher app that tracks women

#56
post #50
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

thatoneyouthrow got flagged for his personal attacks on people. The quote "None of these men care about women or LGBT unless it's legally enforced." is clearly untrue, and simply doesn't address what is a multi-faceted issue. It's worth noting that if citizens of the US are concerned about this, then the citizens have the power - via government - to fix this by imposing trade sanctions.

I'm a US citizen. Where do I find the form for imposing trade sanctions? Can I file it electronically?

First reread the comment so you understand it.

Re: Apple, Google criticised for Saudi Absher app that tracks women

#57

I can’t believe that Lyft doesn’t cover the Bay Area with billboards that say “Saudi Arabia beats women and owns 10% of Uber.” “Saudi Arabia murders gay people and owns 10% of Uber.” “Saudi Arabia crucified two people last year and owns 10% of Uber.”

They can't because Saudi Arabia also owns part of Lyft (2.3%): https://www.reuters.com/article/lyft-kingdom-holding-ma/saud...

I... I think that was the joke. :)

Re: Apple, Google criticised for Saudi Absher app that tracks women

#58
post #55

I don’t agree with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s stances, but I also feel like keeping a list of each state that violates human rights is not in Tim Cook’s or Sundar Pichai’s job description. If we are just being honest with ourselves the list of countries in which you can do business approaches 0 if we call out the violators. Secondly, the last time I checked a company’s mandate is to abide by the laws of the countr…

They are helping them violate human rights. Therefore, they do have a list. It's just the wrong type of list.

Re: Apple, Google criticised for Saudi Absher app that tracks women

#59
post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a great idea. But outside of this would anyone be interested in meeting up at tech companies and protesting?

For what? So Apple removes the app from the store. Does that materially impact Saudi Arabi's institutional oppression of women?

Yes. The app makes it much more difficult for women to subvert the oppression. Before the app the government used little paper slips to grant travel permission, now the "guardians" get SMS notifications when a woman's passport is scanned.

Re: Apple, Google criticised for Saudi Absher app that tracks women

#60
post #55

I don’t agree with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s stances, but I also feel like keeping a list of each state that violates human rights is not in Tim Cook’s or Sundar Pichai’s job description. If we are just being honest with ourselves the list of countries in which you can do business approaches 0 if we call out the violators. Secondly, the last time I checked a company’s mandate is to abide by the laws of the countr…

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