A senior Federal Communications Commission official has slammed Apple CEO Tim Cook for hypocrisy on human rights issues – arguing that the iPhone maker’s dealings with the Chinese Communist Party conflict with its alleged commitment to protecting consumer rights.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr detailed his concerns about the tech giant’s activities in China politics in a letter that referred to Cook’s recent keynote address at the 2022 IAPP Global Privacy Summit, where Apple’s top boss spoke at length against the exploitation of technology into violation the user rights spoke.
Carr, the FCC’s Republican senior official, said Cook’s “words faltered in the face of the harsh reality of Apple’s conduct in China.”
“Indeed, at the very same time you were speaking in DC about your App Store policies promoting privacy and human rights, your company continued its well-documented campaign of aggressively censoring apps from the Chinese Communist Party’s best in Beijing.” Carr wrote in the letter.
Apple is one of several major US companies to be criticized for expanding operations in China amid mounting concerns that Beijing is committing human rights abuses against its people.
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook gave a speech in DC last week where he spoke eloquently about Apple’s commitment to operate the App Store in a way that promotes human rights.
But his words in Washington are thwarted by the harsh reality of Apple’s behavior in China.
My letter to 🍎 pic.twitter.com/6cKMLQpysV
— Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) April 21, 2022
Many of the allegations are related to the Chinese government’s crackdown on ethnic and religious minorities in the Xinjiang region – where human rights activists accuse Beijing of various abuses – including mass surveillance, forced labor and the establishment of detention camps. The US government has described China’s actions as genocide.
In May 2021, The Information (Paywall) reported that seven of Apple’s suppliers were linked to alleged forced labor operations in the Xinjiang region.
Apple has repeatedly stated that it has “zero tolerance” for forced labor within its supply chain.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr is the senior Republican on the panel. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag
Cook touted Apple’s stance during the April 12 speech, stating that the tech giant views privacy as “a fundamental human right — one that is essential to our vision of a world where technology enriches people’s lives.” meaning is.
Cook also praised Apple’s “commitment to protecting people from an industrial data complex built on a foundation of surveillance.”
“Right now, companies are collecting data about the details of our lives — the shops and restaurants we visit, the causes we support, the websites we read,” Cook said.
Apple has come under scrutiny for its dealings with the Chinese government. Bloomberg via Getty Images
Carr said he decided to contact Cook after learning that Apple had removed the congressional-funded “Voice of America” ​​app from its app store in China — a decision the commissioner said was at the behest by the Chinese government.
Carr described the application’s removal as “deeply disturbing.”
The FCC official noted that Apple previously removed Quran and Bible apps from its app store. He urged Cook to notify the FCC by April 29 if Apple plans to restore access to the Voice of America app.
In a statement, Apple said the Voice of America app has been removed from China’s App Store due to local legal requirements.
“Back in 2017, we were notified by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) that the Voice of America app did not comply with local laws as it lacked a license to operate in the country,” the statement said. “We have a duty to comply with local laws where we do business, even if we sometimes disagree. The app is still available for download in other countries.”