Apple helps regime: The technology group restricts AirDrop function in China
Created: 12/01/2022 11:14 am
By: Victoria Krumbeck
With a new update, Apple has restricted the "AirDrop" function on Chinese devices.
This has consequences for those who demonstrate against the Chinese government's measures.
Munich/Beijing - In China, people have been taking to the streets for days to demonstrate against the Chinese government's zero-Covid policy.
While in many parts of the world living with the corona virus has become normal, in China apartment blocks are cordoned off during the smallest outbreaks.
With a new update, Apple ensured that the dissemination of information, which is of great importance to the demonstrators, is restricted.
The tech giant is thus supporting the autocratic government.
Apple: Tech giant restricts AirDrop function in China
The Chinese government uses violence and censorship against the demonstrators and suppresses the protests.
Videos and pictures of the riots are going around the country.
But the state throttles the Internet so that sharing data becomes more difficult and people are less able to network.
Therefore, many Apple product owners share content via AirDrop feature.
With internet throttled and a lack of free social media, the Apple feature became a viable alternative.
People stand in an Apple store.
© Liau Chung-Ren/dpa
The AirDrop feature offers Apple users a way to share images, videos or documents between Apple devices.
But with the iOS 16.1.1 update, the useful life of AirDrop was limited, as
Bloomberg
reported in early November.
More specifically, the AirDrop feature needs to be re-enabled every ten minutes.
This only applies to data transfer from devices that are not saved as separate contacts.
After ten minutes, Apple users can only get data from contacts.
Apple: Limited AirDrop feature in China only
This makes it much more difficult to receive videos showing the protests or demonstration dates.
The highlight: the new ten-minute activation was only loaded onto Apple products purchased in China.
The description said the update included "bug fixes and security updates,"
The Guardian
wrote.
Apple initially did not comment on the restricted AirDrop function in China.
However, the company plans to expand the new AirDrop feature globally in the coming year.
It's not the first time Apple has been accused of supporting an autocratic regime.
In 2019, Apple hidden the Taiwanese flag emoji from users in Hong Kong.
In addition, Apple has deleted apps for VPN use.
VPN usage is particularly important in autocratic states in order to access censorship-free media.
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(vk)
