[mercer]

Good point. I'm an Apple fan in some ways, but all the 'good' stuff kind of rings hollow in light of what you pointed out.

Can anyone give me a reason to understand why Apple would do this that isn't just about the 'bottom-line'?

[wmf]

Apple is providing some end-to-end encrypted tools to people in China. If they pulled out completely, people would no longer have those.

[x0x0]

At least indirectly about their bottom line: Apple can't control fb. They need fb to exist on their phone or their phone is broken for a lot of users. They can look at things like fb tracking every phone call you make and sms you send [1] and be really unhappy about what is happening and yet lack much practical ability to do anything about it.

Also, how long before every lying cop with a 2-bit circuit judge who signs every thing in front of him figure out they can get this data out of FB rather than Apple?

It's also possible to be offended by the fact that I'd bet 99.99999% of users had absolutely zero idea this was going on. The US needs something like the GDPR where uses of personal data collected need to be simply and clearly disclosed instead of buried in 40 pages of bullshit that I can't possibly be seriously expected to read and understand.

[1] https://twitter.com/dylanmckaynz/status/976368845635035138