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Very fancy! Currently in Thailand, defeated by: “Private Relay is not available in Thailand due to local laws and regulations.“ “Privacy is a fundamental huma

Very fancy! Currently in Thailand, defeated by: “Private Relay is not available in Thailand due to local laws and regulations.“ “Privacy is a fundamental human right.” Unless local laws and regulations say otherwise.

buildbot 4y ago
Well yeah, there are plenty of places without humans rights and sometimes the laws enforce that.
whynotminot 4y ago
Do you expect Apple to violate the laws of your country?
- phantomathkg 4y ago
  Not the author, but I would say, Expected? No. For a global company without backbone. Wish? Yes.
- gggggg5 4y ago
  There are fairly successful companies like Telegram and Signal, who are aggressively using technical measures to evade censorship. Apple certainly could do this.
  - supernova87a 4y ago
    Sure, but not if they wish to keep on operating (i.e. selling things, and manufacturing things as part of their business) legally in that country.
    - gggggg5 4y ago
      There are significant costs associated with something as visible as banning the sales of Apple devices. Governments are certainly capable of doing this, but the cost-benefit analysis does not necessarily add up.
  - Sakos 4y ago
    The benefit of Telegram and Signal doing this over a company like Apple is that they don't own a significant part of the smartphone and computer (and associated services) markets. This gives Apple a lot more control and influence over people and consequently carry a lot more responsibility in what they do. If I notice Signal doing something I like, it's far easier to convert to a competitor than it is for the average user to switch away from the Apple ecosystem once you're in it.
    - miohtama 4y ago
      Also unlike Telegram, Apple has significant local physical presence and employees that the government can go after.
      - gggggg5 4y ago
        What significant local physical presence does Apple have in Thailand? They're setting up a factory there, kicking that out would hurt Thailand way more than it would hurt Apple.
        Sakos 4y ago
        Having to comply with local laws and regulations is sort of accepted when operating a business in a particular country. How would it hurt Thailand significantly more than Apple if they're ejected for not complying with legal requirements? And frankly, it's sort of moot. Apple is more than happy to comply with national governments. Just look at them pulling communication apps whenever there's a protest in <insert country with autocratic government here>.
ccouzens 4y ago
If Thailand blocks Apple's relay domain and IP address what else could they do besides tell you it isn't going to work?
- gggggg5 4y ago
  From a purely technical perspective, they could just force private relay for all Apple-bound traffic. Thailand would have to choose between working iPhones and blocking private relay.
  - arepublicadoceu 4y ago
    If history teach as anything is that autocratic government favors control over their people in lieu of apple devices. And capitalistic companies favors money in lieu of human rights.
  - jolux 4y ago
    Wikipedia disallows editing from iCloud Relay IP addresses, so not a great idea in general. And if you really think authoritarian governments are going to choose iPhones over control, well…
    - gggggg5 4y ago
      I was specifically suggesting doing this for Apple-bound communications, not for all traffic. In that situation blocking private relay would just break app store and other important functionality, rendering the devices borderline useless. > And if you really think authoritarian governments are going to choose iPhones over control, well… lol, Thailand doesn't even block VPNs. You really think they'd do something as drastic as banning Apple devices over this? There are many authoritarian countries were banning iPhones would simply be unimaginable, there's no way they'd even think about doing that in places like Russia.
      - sfifs 4y ago
        > Just break app store and other important functionality, rendering the devices borderline useless. If Apple breaks laws isn't that what Governments should do? For instance in Europe (was it Netherlands ?).Apple has blatantly ignored a ruling on app store and allowed fines to accumulate. The government should have blocked the app store but instead let itself be bullied by Apple
jbverschoor 4y ago
If YOU don’t agree with the laws of your country, move and take on a different citizenship
- neonsunset 4y ago
  How to tell others you come from sheltered and privileged background without saying it explicitly.

buildbot 4y ago

Well yeah, there are plenty of places without humans rights and sometimes the laws enforce that.

whynotminot 4y ago

Do you expect Apple to violate the laws of your country?

phantomathkg 4y ago
Not the author, but I would say, Expected? No. For a global company without backbone. Wish? Yes.
gggggg5 4y ago
There are fairly successful companies like Telegram and Signal, who are aggressively using technical measures to evade censorship. Apple certainly could do this.
- supernova87a 4y ago
  Sure, but not if they wish to keep on operating (i.e. selling things, and manufacturing things as part of their business) legally in that country.
  - gggggg5 4y ago
    There are significant costs associated with something as visible as banning the sales of Apple devices. Governments are certainly capable of doing this, but the cost-benefit analysis does not necessarily add up.
- Sakos 4y ago
  The benefit of Telegram and Signal doing this over a company like Apple is that they don't own a significant part of the smartphone and computer (and associated services) markets. This gives Apple a lot more control and influence over people and consequently carry a lot more responsibility in what they do. If I notice Signal doing something I like, it's far easier to convert to a competitor than it is for the average user to switch away from the Apple ecosystem once you're in it.
  - miohtama 4y ago
    Also unlike Telegram, Apple has significant local physical presence and employees that the government can go after.
    - gggggg5 4y ago
      What significant local physical presence does Apple have in Thailand? They're setting up a factory there, kicking that out would hurt Thailand way more than it would hurt Apple.
      - Sakos 4y ago
        Having to comply with local laws and regulations is sort of accepted when operating a business in a particular country. How would it hurt Thailand significantly more than Apple if they're ejected for not complying with legal requirements? And frankly, it's sort of moot. Apple is more than happy to comply with national governments. Just look at them pulling communication apps whenever there's a protest in <insert country with autocratic government here>.

ccouzens 4y ago

If Thailand blocks Apple's relay domain and IP address what else could they do besides tell you it isn't going to work?

gggggg5 4y ago
From a purely technical perspective, they could just force private relay for all Apple-bound traffic. Thailand would have to choose between working iPhones and blocking private relay.
- arepublicadoceu 4y ago
  If history teach as anything is that autocratic government favors control over their people in lieu of apple devices. And capitalistic companies favors money in lieu of human rights.
- jolux 4y ago
  Wikipedia disallows editing from iCloud Relay IP addresses, so not a great idea in general. And if you really think authoritarian governments are going to choose iPhones over control, well…
  - gggggg5 4y ago
    I was specifically suggesting doing this for Apple-bound communications, not for all traffic. In that situation blocking private relay would just break app store and other important functionality, rendering the devices borderline useless. > And if you really think authoritarian governments are going to choose iPhones over control, well… lol, Thailand doesn't even block VPNs. You really think they'd do something as drastic as banning Apple devices over this? There are many authoritarian countries were banning iPhones would simply be unimaginable, there's no way they'd even think about doing that in places like Russia.
    - sfifs 4y ago
      > Just break app store and other important functionality, rendering the devices borderline useless. If Apple breaks laws isn't that what Governments should do? For instance in Europe (was it Netherlands ?).Apple has blatantly ignored a ruling on app store and allowed fines to accumulate. The government should have blocked the app store but instead let itself be bullied by Apple

jbverschoor 4y ago

If YOU don’t agree with the laws of your country, move and take on a different citizenship

neonsunset 4y ago
How to tell others you come from sheltered and privileged background without saying it explicitly.