[CamperBob2]

Exactly. "Illegal with a fine" is "Legal for a price." If the fine is less than the profit, then it's just another cost of doing business.

Edit: What's controversial about this statement? It's patently obvious, especially when you factor in the odds that your behavior will go unnoticed or unprosecuted. Do you people think I'm advocating this?!

[getToTheChopin]

The fine should be equivalent to profit plus a hefty penalty on top of that. Other wise there's no dis-incentive against repeat behaviour.

[null_object]

> The fine should be equivalent to profit plus a hefty penalty on top of that.

So this was a toggle in an obscure preferences setting toggled incorrectly and therefore a minor infringement of EU law - but you want the court to fine Apple their entire profit? plus some random extra amount?

Wow. Aside from this being completely stupid to anyone who doesn’t share your irrational level of Apple hatred, how would you deal with a really serious offense?

[CamperBob2]

They should be fined the profit that they made from the feature. All of it, plus an additional percentage as punitive damage. Nobody said they should have their entire annual profit garnished, their corporate charter revoked, their CEO arrested, or their headquarters raided by the Wagner Group. Sheesh.

The problem is that the threatened fine is nowhere near the anticipated profit. So there is a rational incentive to ignore the law.

[twblalock]

> Nobody said they should have their entire annual profit garnished, their corporate charter revoked, their CEO arrested, or their headquarters raided by the Wagner Group. Sheesh.

Read the other comments here and you will see a number of people saying those things should happen (ok maybe not the one about the Wagner group...).

[gtvwill]

Remember kids. If the punishment is a fine not jail time it's only a law for the poor.

[asdff]

Say what you will about capital punishment in singapore, but a caning hurts the same for a rich person and a poor person.