A TikTok video may lead to disciplinary action for the Apple engineer who told people not to unlock stolen iPhones for the thieves.
Malcolm Owen for AppleInsider:
As a secretive company, Apple has rules and guidelines that its employees must follow, in order for the iPhone maker to closely manage its public image. It appears that the policies could result in one employee losing their job at the company, after providing safety and security advice via social media.
Apple hardware engineer Paris Campbell gained overnight fame by posting to TikTok in response to a video about a stolen iPhone, and threats to the victim over the release of personal information unless she removed the Apple ID from the device.
Campbell’s video explained that the threats were minimal, as the user’s data was safe and not accessible to the thief. Campbell also explained that the threats to remove the Apple ID were so that it freed the device up for immediate resale, giving it more value to the thief than if it were kept locked and broken up for parts.
“I can’t tell you exactly how I know this information, but I can tell you that for the last six years, I’ve been a certified hardware engineer for a certain company that likes to talk about fruit,” Campbell said in her response video, before warning the user not to listen to the extortionists. “Your phone is actually useless to them, and you’re the only person that can save them, and I suggest that you don’t.”
That video went viral, wracking up 5 million views in roughly 24 hours. On Friday, Campbell received a call from a manager, telling her to remove the video or she’d be subject to disciplinary action “up to and including termination.” When she asked what would happen if she left the video up, she says the manager walked back the original comment and said he would get back to her. So far, he hasn’t.
Over the weekend, Campbell posted a second video titled “dear Apple,” where she revealed that she was an Apple employee and said she was waiting to hear if she was going to be fired. “I’ve never actually identified myself as an Apple employee until this video,” she said. “Funny thing is, though, after reviewing the social media policies… nowhere does it say I can’t identify myself as an Apple employee publicly, just that I shouldn’t do so in a way that makes the company look bad.”
MacDailyNews Note: Campbell’s TikTok videos:
@stopitparis #stitch with @Stella ♬ Love You So – The King Khan & BBQ Show
@stopitparis hey apple, don’t fire me #techtok #greenscreen ♬ original sound – paris campbell
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I like her
Gotta love her!
Good thingcomes in threes…
I’m anti-nose ring. (You’re not a brahman bull, honey.) But, otherwise, fine.
(four for four)
Very full lips…but THAT nose-ring.
This is Apple the corporation being stupid. If Jobs were around he’d go talk with her, do a TikTok with her and how it’s all cool now. She’d do a follow up and say “This guy, that’s the spirit while we are all here.” It would get major headlines, pro Apple huge and everyone moves on.
Today? Tim Cook will have no clue, some moron in HR will fire her for power trip safe and it will notch Apple one foot further into corporatism above all else…
And that’s how Apple loses it’s magic.
So Tim, go reach out to her. Get a coffee with her and make up, tell her this is Corporate HR run a mock and that she’s all cool, you’ve taken care of it, we just – clearly – don’t want thousands of Apple engineers running around starting edge up to the line of confidentiality, etc… that would be a nightmare. But overall it’s good. They make a TikTok together and it’s back to awesome time again, and Cook gets a LOT of kudos for carrying on that spirit Jobs could bring to public PR.
“If Jobs were around he’d go talk with her, do a TikTok with her and how it’s all cool now”
Then you really have no clue about Jobs. He most certainly would NOT do a video with her and most likely would have told her to get back to work or face termination.
Zero clue about Steve Jobs and how he ran things. The wacked out Apple hate brigade online loves to use the If Steve Jobs were here. But if Steve Jobs was still here they’d hate him.
It is a psychosis with these people.
While others disagree with you regarding Jobs, something to be said for his mercurial unpredictable ways. Who knows, he could very well embrace the new age of technology and do a popular platform vid together.
That said, more likely he would have made personal contact to listen and understand first hand her motivation. Certainly immediately after he would have done any number of corrective actions we can only SPECULATE.
I sense that’s a major difference between Jobs and Cook. Jobs hands on, Cook hands off, well, generally speaking. Anything messy that makes him look bad, no fingerprints, let HR handle it and just send a message to keep me advised.
For those pretentious enough to know exactly what Steve would do, unless you know him personally for years — offer a favorite saying: “All we know is, we don’t know”…
I didn’t know Steve Jobs but I worked for the tiny company, comparatively called Apple Computer. The screech IF Only Steve Jobs Was Here is used regularly. Such as Steve would never allow only one App Store. Steve would never allow iPhone to not side load. On and on nonsense. (Steve was the king and founder of the closed ecosystem).
Apple Computer was very much with us employees Keep Your Mouths Shut about a list of things. While Steve personally would talk to media (face of the company, superstar and mega free advertising) and occasionally have one of his VPs do so, Apple Computer was tight lipped. Then Apple (without Computer) was still very much tight lipped. For better or worse (IMHO worse) Apple 2022 is much more open with media, making statements about a given issue, product and non product related. But they are still far from other companies constant yapping in media. But even Apple 2022 works hard to stay tight lipped and keep their brand name crystal clean (it is likely the most valuable brand name in the world).
Agree S&B, opinions on what Steve would or would not do is speculation opinion and tiring at times. Bandied about as if fact, a person like yourself working in Apple Computer, is certainly much more credible and too cool, BTW.
“For better or worse (IMHO worse) Apple 2022 is much more open with media, making statements about a given issue, product and non product related.”
Yes WORSE, all the points you made. Also for many, particularly annoying picking political sides PREACHING woke politics that Steve would not do and warned others in the company and business in general. However, Cook like all sanctimonious liberals, thinks he knows better like the rest of the misguided ilk. Unless I am wrong, the secrecy thing is not as strong under Cook as it was under Jobs, no?
The pitiful performance of Cook taking Apple where no CEO has gone before, unless you count staying out of the way of Steve’s iPhone gravy train, adds almost nothing to the world’s most valuable brand. Handpicked, dime a dozen CEO from a PC company Cook can be replaced in a heartbeat with a creative visionary. Sooner, rather than later, please…
Her boss is AppleCynic
does MDN keep condoning the attack dog? Regardless of position or issue, do you think personal attacks are appropriate on your website? Explain yourself!
Explain myself to you? Who are you, the comment gestapo? Shame on you, you censoring little fsck.
You are slime all attack dog scum. Yes, MDN should yank you and every instant screen name you create to avoid detection. Got it, brown clown?…
Actually, I approve this message.
I even approve yours, in your case idiots must expose themselves.