Apple Censors Engraving Service, Report Claims (bbc.com) 49
Apple censors references to Chinese politicians, dissidents and other topics in its engraving service, a report alleges. The BBC reports: Citizen Lab said it had investigated filters set up for customers who wanted something engraved on a new iPhone, iPad or other Apple device. And Apple had a broad list of censored words, not just in mainland China but also in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Apple said its systems "ensure local laws and customs are respected." "As with everything at Apple, the process for engraving is led by our values," chief privacy officer Jane Horvath wrote in a letter (PDF) provided to CitizenLab in advance of the publication of its report. And the engraving service tried not to allow trademarked phrases, alongside those that "are vulgar or culturally insensitive, could be construed as inciting violence, or would be considered illegal according to local laws, rules, and regulations."
[CitizenLab's] new report found more than 1,100 filtered keywords, across six different regions, mainly relating to offensive content, such as racist or sexual words. But it alleges the rules are applied inconsistently and are much wider for China. "Within mainland China, we found that Apple censors political content, including broad references to Chinese leadership and China's political system, names of dissidents and independent news organizations, and general terms relating to religions, democracy, and human rights," it says. The report also alleges that censorship "bleeds" into both the Hong Kong and Taiwan markets. It found: 1,045 keywords blocked in mainland China; 542 in Hong Kong; and 397 in Taiwan. In contrast, Japan, Canada and the US had between 170 and 260 filtered words.
[CitizenLab's] new report found more than 1,100 filtered keywords, across six different regions, mainly relating to offensive content, such as racist or sexual words. But it alleges the rules are applied inconsistently and are much wider for China. "Within mainland China, we found that Apple censors political content, including broad references to Chinese leadership and China's political system, names of dissidents and independent news organizations, and general terms relating to religions, democracy, and human rights," it says. The report also alleges that censorship "bleeds" into both the Hong Kong and Taiwan markets. It found: 1,045 keywords blocked in mainland China; 542 in Hong Kong; and 397 in Taiwan. In contrast, Japan, Canada and the US had between 170 and 260 filtered words.
tank man! (Score:3, Informative)
tank man!
Re: (Score:1)
I have an iTankman phone.
Values (Score:5, Insightful)
"The process for engraving is led by our values," chief privacy officer Jane Horvath continued, "and those values are to bow and comply with anything China wants, while lecturing and censoring our Western customers. Yes, even when those two stances contradict each other. No, you shut up."
Re: (Score:2)
Kowtowing to China is no different from heiling Der Fuhrer.
"Values" will be tyranny (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: "Values" will be tyranny (Score:4, Funny)
It's worse than that, I tried to scratch my god given name onto my iPhone, Tickle My Balls majorprecedent, but the censorship coating prevented it, fascists.
Re: (Score:2)
This is the Chinese "Apple"
Well, apples are red...
Apple said its systems (Score:4, Insightful)
"ensure local laws and customs are respected."
Including repurposing the pedo image filter to crush anyone who doesn't follow "Xi Jinping thought"?
Sorry. This is a "pick one" kinda scenario.
Re: (Score:2)
€
Such Respect for 'Local Laws' (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Such Respect for 'Local Laws' (Score:5, Funny)
Apple would also respect local laws and customs if they sold phones in 1940's Germany.
It worked for IBM.
"Freedom. Nobody said it was nice." (Score:4)
The subject line is a quote from a Diskworld novel (_Thud_), where it was used with respect to a free press, by a photographer taking a picture inconvenient to the authorities.
Alzheimer's disease took a brilliant mind from us and we are all poorer for it.
Poo but not Pooh or P00h (Score:1, Funny)
I see "Poo" is filters, but "Pooh" might be okay.
So I can go ahead and order an iPhone with Xi JinPooh or Xi JinP00h engraved?
Oh, bother! (Score:3, Funny)
Guess i can forget about the one i had in mind...
Apple B.S. (Score:2)
As with everything at Apple, the process for engraving is led by our values," chief privacy officer Jane Horvath wrote in a letter (PDF) provided to CitizenLab
Yeah. Sure.
Re: (Score:3)
"Yeah. Sure."
Be nice, now. I'm sure he's not lying. He's just not saying what those values are.
Re: (Score:2)
Firefly notwithstanding - most people who go by the name of “Jane” are female.
Re: (Score:2)
True dat. I hadn't noticed. And I might note that in Firefly, it's "Jayne," I had thought it was his surname, but in fact, it's not, he's Jayne Cobb. And even when spelled "Jayne," it's still usually a woman's name.
Taiwan? (Score:3)
Re: (Score:3)
The Kuomintang (the party which has led the Republic of China for most of its existence) and Chinese Communist Party (in charge on the mainland) agree on very little, but they do agree that both mainland China and Taiwan are part of a single country -- the so-called One-China principle. They disagree on which government is the legitimate one.
Re:Taiwan? (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
The Taiwanese prefer to think of Mainland China as their eastern suburbs.
Re: (Score:2)
"Slum" would be more accurate.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
It's all China. Just like Best Korea and Worst Korea are both Korea, you can have Naughty vs Nice China (or Korea).
I'm sure there are plenty of other engravers (Score:3)
Just because apple won't do it doesn't mean some shopkeeper won't.
Now as to random phone inspections to see what's on the back of you phone, I won't rule it out.
Tank man, or a nice engraving of a high value Yuan, or a map of Taiwan.
Re: (Score:2)
A nice picture of Winnie the Pooh . . .
What, no... (Score:3)
...Winnie the Pooh?
These filters won't stop Chinese people from having politically sensitive stuff engraved on their iPhones. Apparently, they're very creative in thinking up ways to get around these laws & filters. It makes me wonder what today's Chinese political satire is like.
Re: What, no... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
What Apple censors on the engravings is kind of the least of your worries when the government will punish you for it. At that point, Apple is doing the person that wants to carry an engraved go to jail card a favor whether the government made them do it or not. If you want to stick it to the man in China, wouldn't it be smarter to use a sticker you could rip off in mixed company?
Engrave elsewhere (Score:2)
This is one place Apple does not have the monopoly. If you they won’t engrave it, there are plenty of other business which will liberally engrave whatever you want, but like tattoos just make sure you understand what you are asking for.
Think Different (Score:2)
... and it's back to the labor camp!
IRRLVNT (Score:2)
How is this kind of "censorship" different from vanity plates? Every state has its own list of words it does not let drivers use.
One or another (Score:1)
is "Fuck Apple" approved? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Fuck you, Apple. (Score:1)
Why do they even care? (Score:2)