Bonum Certa Men Certa

Apple Stomps on Civil Liberties

Summary: Apple continues banning opposition to CIA's assassination policy and Apple denies anonymous purchases

Drones, or electronic death bots, are of great relevance to us not just because they run Linux but because they are ethically wrong, as many warn with great passion (this includes politicians, human rights groups, and TV hosts). The question has become, who doesn't oppose predator drones? The press is filled with articles against drone strikes these days. Many of them we include in our daily links now (my personal site too). Predator drones are why groups like the FSF remain relevant and important, as computer programs are now directly responsible for killing some innocent people who just happen to be in the 'wrong' place or favour the 'wrong' side. Drones will continue to be a focus here. They are an imminent threat not only to suspected terrorists. Apple has been defending drones in the sense that it censors opponents of drones. It still does. Here are two new reports about it:





Apple has been close to president Obama. Steve Jobs was hanging out with the president and now he supports his foreign policy, even from his grave. Apple does not care about civil liberties; it patented remote deactivation of cameras, for instance. Today I went to buy iPhone 5 for a friend who insisted on getting it and although I paid in cash (for which I had to visit the bank, as it exceeds ATM limits) the salesperson insisted on having my full name and E-mail address. I declined. He gave me a funny look (although I was exceedingly polite and well dressed) and still insisted, so I gave fake details. Most UK shops don't require it. Only one does.

We will try to focus on Apple's attack on Android, which takes a patent gown.

Lawsuits map

Comments

Recent Techrights' Posts

People Discuss Rumours of Mass Layoffs at IBM Becoming Public in 1-2 Weeks
IBM is killing its brand or its "goodwill"
The Old Days
In the early days of this site (2006) it was mostly just a couple of people, plus comments
 
Cisco Systems is a Still Weak Spot With Bug Doors
nothing to offer except storytelling
EPO Strike Begins Today and It's the Longest One Yet (Can Last a Year)
Where's the media?
Gemini Links 30/03/2026: Approaching April and Arvelie Calendar
Links for the day
No Daylight Saved
Is there still any practical reason for this ritual?
Microsoft Azure Does Not Have "Hiring Freezes", It Has Had Mass Layoffs Every Year Since 2020
Things are always a lot worse than Microsoft formally or publicly acknowledges
SLAPP Censorship - Part 27 Out of 200: Using the Tor Network to Hide From Consequences
Only 1-2 weeks after the countersuit the Canadian attempted to deplatform several Web sites
The Limits of Inclusion
Inclusion with caution isn't "opinionated"; it's a defence mechanism, sometimes a survival instinct
Almost 20 Years After Microsoft/Novell
The mission has not changed, but the priorities evolve all the time
LLM Slop Kills Sites, as Sites That Adopt Slop Are Doomed
People won't subscribe to such sites and visit them if they recognise it's just slop
Links 29/03/2026: Indonesia Cracks Down on Social Control Media Addiction, China Becomes World’s Scientific Superpower
Links for the day
Fedora at the Mercy of Microsoft Because of Back-Doored Kick-Switch Boot
We'll soon revisit the defamation attacks on Torvalds
Links 29/03/2026: Water Shortages and No Kings Rallies
Links for the day
Gemini Links 29/03/2026: Return to Gopherspace, "Zen of Marking Playing Cards"
Links for the day
The Real XBox is Dead, So Microsoft is Calling Everything "XBox" Now
It even wanted to run a campaign to convince everybody that XBox is not actually a console
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, March 28, 2026
IRC logs for Saturday, March 28, 2026
Open Web Destroyed by Centibillionaires, Says Anil Dash of Blogging Fame
Blogging was going through its 'prime years' about 20 years ago
"Linux" Slop Going Away, Microsoft et al Pay 'Linux' Foundation to Promote Slop
It's a timely reminder that the Linux Foundation exists to promote whoever pays the Linux Foundation, even pedophiles and companies that attack the GPL
Links 28/03/2026: Microsoft's LinkedIn a National Security Risk, Microsoft's Slop "Ambitions Face Investor Scrutiny Amid Soaring Costs"
Links for the day
Gemini Links 28/03/2026: "Finding My Base Tone", "Astrobotany", and BugoutBack/OFFLFIRSOCH
Links for the day
Links 28/03/2026: More Worldwide Bans on Social Control Media (Harms to Adolescents), Protests in US Against Dictatorship
Links for the day
SLAPP Censorship - Part 26 Out of 200: Asking for Documents and Information You Already Have, Even Letters and E-mails That You Yourself Sent!
barristers are expensive
Gemini Links 28/03/2026: Echo Delay and 0x0.st
Links for the day
Rumours of More IBM Mass Layoffs at Beginning of April
IBM is not doing well
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Friday, March 27, 2026
IRC logs for Friday, March 27, 2026