[actuator]

I share your sentiment on this. Among all the big tech, Apple is the only one which has a significant foothold in China and can possibly have an impact. But they have failed to live upto the ideals they speak about when it comes to earning easy money. BLM is easy to speak about and acts as good marketing for them.

At least at one point Google stood up for its ideals and quit Search in PRC, which I highly respect. With the criticism Google gets(some rightly so) and the stuff Apple gets away with, I wonder if they look to Apple and see the easy money they left on the table.

[DaiPlusPlus]

> BLM is easy to speak about and acts as good marketing for them.

Considering a good chunk of the US population (15-30%?) is vocally "anti-BLM" - it is somewhat ballsy for a high-profile company to wear pro-BLM in their corporate messaging - I'm sure we've all seen people on Facebook vow to boycott Apple or other "liberal" organizations.

[ardy42]

> Considering a good chunk of the US population (15-30%?) is vocally "anti-BLM" - it is somewhat ballsy for a high-profile company to wear pro-BLM in their corporate messaging - I'm sure we've all seen people on Facebook vow to boycott Apple or other "liberal" organizations.

That doesn't really matter. Voluntary boycotts have little effect, and there probably no enough people who are so "anti-BLM" that they'd actually follow through on a boycott for Apple to notice.

[Nasrudith]

The real reason they don't matter is because they already largely weren't a significant portion of their demographics. Stating my intention to boycott some very expensive high fashion brand when I haven't bought any article of clothing for a thousand dollars doesn't mean anything.

[actuator]

It is easy because it gives them marketing reach inside US, they won't get the same in PRC.

A vocal segment might complaint on Apple, but where would they run to, Google's Android? Google is also pro BLM. All big tech are.

[abc-xyz]

These boycotts have limited impact, or rather, their impact can be explained away by blaming other factors (see Blizzard, Disney, etc). This makes it a lot easier for companies to engage in this political marketing (lgbtq+/blm/etc). The reason they’re afraid to voice support for democracy in Hong Kong or human rights in a China, is not because they fear the Chinese people will individually boycott them, but rather that the CCP will block their access to the entire market.

[dontremeber]

I’ve always wondered if, hypothetically, someone as huge in China as Apple takes a stance and publicly criticizes the CCP, and the CCP do completely block access to the market, how does CCP explain to their people they suddenly won’t be able to get Apple products anymore? Would that actually happen? What are China’s options? Can they seize factories, take over, and keep shipping like nothing’s wrong? Do they let Apple stay but make it hurt financially?

[actuator]

When you have total control of the media(social/traditional), you can spread your narrative easily. I would assume it would look something like, "Look at the company aiding secessionists in HK and helping them". There is no way this narrative gets countered there.

I don't think they will seize factories, as it just means every foreign company would look to exit. They will probably simply not allow them to sell their products in mainland and not give them any concessions.

[thinkingemote]

Easy, just like "This Chinese Corporation is Spying on you with 5G Networks"