Apple is being slammed for removing an app used for pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. The bipartisan group that includes both republicans and democrats have sent a letter to Tim Cook expressing “strong concerns” about the tech giant’s censorships of apps.
The U.S. lawmakers criticized Apple’s decision to remove HKMap, a real-time mapping app used by pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong was “at the behest of China.” The letter sent to the Cupertino-based technology company was co-signed by Senators Ted Cruz, Ron Wyden, Tom Cotton and Marco Rubio and Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mike Gallagher, and Tom Malinowski. A similar letter was also written to Robert Kotick, the CEO of Activision Blizzard after the video game company suspending a player who voiced support for pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
“Apple’s decision last week to accommodate the Chinese government by taking down HKMap is deeply concerning,” the letter reads. HKMap, the app that tracks police activity, roadblocks also notify the user about tear gas and other protester-specific features. The lawmakers also urged the tech company to reverse course and stand with people fighting for “basic rights and dignity in Hong Kong.”
Meanwhile, Apple claimed in the letter sent to its employees that the app “has been used to target and ambush police, threaten public safety, and criminals have used it to victimize residents in areas where they know there is no law enforcement.” They said they carried out an investigation before making the decision. According to the letter which cites a non-profit group called GreatFire, Apple censored at least 2,200 apps in China which is “made by and for oppressed communities.”
Apple announced the withdrawal of HKMap from its App Store after approving it a few days back. The decision is believed to be stemmed from the fear of facing backlashes from China, the second-largest market of Apple.
Mitchell Landsberg is the senior reporter for News Raise and focuses on Technology. Mitchell regularly writes about social media platforms and how influencers, industry and general people use them to communicate and make money.
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