Pressure Mounts on Apple Over Removal of ICEBlock App
Apple faces mounting criticism after the removal of the ICE-spotting app, ICEBlock, from its App Store, with a former executive branding the decision as an “erosion” of the company’s core principles, reports 24brussels.
Wiley Hodges, who worked at Apple for over 22 years, expressed his concerns in a letter to CEO Tim Cook, stating he is “deeply disturbed” by the company’s decision. The removal occurs amidst pressure from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who claims that “ICEBlock is designed to put ICE agents at risk just for doing their jobs.” Following Apple’s action, Google also removed similar applications, although it reportedly did not receive specific directives from the Department of Justice.
Hodges, who held prominent roles in marketing and product management at Apple, further elaborated on his changing perception of the company. He stated, “I used to believe that Apple were unequivocally ‘the good guys,’” adding that he now questions the company’s commitment to its users. Hodges also highlighted that the earlier defense of user privacy, exemplified by Apple’s stand against unlocking iPhones for the San Bernardino case, was a pivotal moment in shaping public trust.
He critiques the recent decision as a departure from Apple’s previously espoused values, specifically citing the company’s Human Rights Policy that asserts its commitment to an open society, even in the face of governmental pressures. “The removal of ICEBlock without evidence of the government either providing a lawful basis for such a demand or following a legal process represents an erosion of this principled stance,” Hodges noted.
In a parallel reaction, Alex Horovitz, another former Apple senior manager, echoed Hodges’s sentiments in his own letter, stating that Apple must resist political pressures that compromise its foundational values. “Every time it yields quietly to political pressure, it strengthens the hand of those who would centralize power and weaken the freedoms the company once championed,” he remarked.
Both former executives are demanding transparency from Apple regarding the decision to remove ICEBlock and whether any legal grounds justified the government’s demands. Hodges concluded his letter with a stark warning: “I hope you recognize how every inch you voluntarily give to an authoritarian regime adds to their illegitimately derived power.”
Attempts by The Verge to obtain comment from Apple went unanswered.
