Oh, they definitely do keep tabs and actively participate in places like HN.
You must have missed seeing this a few years ago...
> Members of Apple PR seek tabloid photos of celebrities holding iPhones, while others read Apple-focused blogs actively, and keep tabs on prominent Apple beat writers using anonymized social media accounts. A former Apple PR employee notes that the team enjoys being an “overall watchdog,” monitoring what the media is saying about the company every day.
https://9to5mac.com/2014/08/29/part-3-strategies-the-art-of-...