“Apple and Tim Cook are again under fire for their relationship with the Chinese government,” Chance Miller reports for 9to5Mac. “Following criticism from Senators Ted Cruz and Patrick Leahy, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida today slammed Tim Cook for his appearance at the state-run World Internet Conference.”
“Rubio’s comments were made at a hearing entitled ‘The Long Arm of China: Exporting Authoritarianism with Chinese Characteristics,'” Miller reports. “Speaking during the hearing, Rubio cited Apple as a prime example of a United States company vying for ‘desperate access to the Chinese marketplace.'”
“Rubio quipped that Apple is ‘so desperate to have access to the Chinese marketplace’ that it is willing to forgo its values in the United States “because there’s a lot of money to be made” in China,” Miller reports. “He further pointed to Apple’s continued attempts to ‘lecture us about free speech and human rights and domestic problems.'”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: As we wrote back in February regarding a Harris Poll that found that corporate reputations can become politically polarized:
Choosing a side on virtually any issue, whether it be corporate taxes, App Store approvals, gun emojis, or H1-B visas risks alienating +/-50% of your potential customer base.
Companies, especially those with excellent scores currently, should be wary of the risk. CEOs themselves should be cognizant that not every one of their employees shares their views on every single topic and that, by presuming to speak for the company instead of merely for themselves, they risk tainting their company’s brand with +/-50% of the company’s potential customer base.
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Some people have said that I shouldn’t get involved politically because probably half our customers are Republicans… so I’m going to just stay away from all that political stuff. — Apple CEO Steve Jobs, August 25, 2004
SEE ALSO:
U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Patrick Leahy blast Apple CEO Tim Cook for removing VPN apps from App Store in China – October 20, 2017
Apple issues statement regarding removal of VPN apps from China App Store – July 31, 2017
Apple removes VPN apps from China App Store – July 29, 2017
Apple sets up China data center to meet new cybersecurity rules – July 12, 2017
Analyst: China iPhone sales are pivotal for Apple – June 26, 2017
In bid to improve censorship, China to summon Apple execs to discuss stricter App Store oversight – April 20, 2017
Will Apple CEO Tim Cook stand up to China over App Store censorship? – April 19, 2017
Beijing cyber regulators to summon Apple over live streaming apps – April 19, 2017
Apple goes on charm offensive in China with red iPhones and a visit by CEO Tim Cook – March 24, 2017
Apple CEO Tim Cook defends globalization, walks tightrope on privacy in rare public speech in China – March 18, 2017
Apple to spend $507 million to set up two more research centers, boost investment in in China – March 17, 2017
Harris Poll: Corporate reputations can become politically polarized – February 9, 2017
Apple removes New York Times apps from App Store in China at behest of Chinese government – January 4, 2017
China dethrones U.S. to become the largest market in the world for iOS App Store revenue – October 20, 2016
Apple to set up second R&D center in China – October 12, 2016
Apple’s first R&D Center in China will develop hardware, employ 500 – September 29, 2016
Apple CEO Cook ‘pretty confident’ of soon resuming movie and book sales in China – May 3, 2016
Apple’s biggest China problem: iPhone’s strong encryption – May 2, 2016
The New Yorker: What Apple has to fear from China – April 30, 2016
Carl Icahn out of Apple over worries about China’s ‘dictatorship’ government – April 29, 2016
China could slam door on Apple, says top global risk expert – April 25, 2016
China’s increasing censorship hits Apple, but Apple might punch back – April 22, 2016
China shutters Apple’s online book and movie services – April 22, 2016
Apple CEO Tim Cook joins Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights’ board of directors – April 6, 2016