It depends on what sort of image the company wants to uphold. Do they want to be the company that goes out of their way to protect the rights of their customer

It depends on what sort of image the company wants to uphold. Do they want to be the company that goes out of their way to protect the rights of their customers with some less than perfect products, or do they want to be the company with perfect products that uses its customers as a means to its end, nothing more, nothing less? I doubt many people on the Apple forums weren't aware of the issue. Deleting the thread simply gives them more negative publicity.