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Comment by ozzythecat | Hacker News Reader

Is there a place where American companies draw the line? Or is there one?

For example, if China demanded Apple hand over information on which all iPhone users have <x> religious app installed so it can profile or do worse things to that group, would Apple just oblige?

And whereas America’s political apparatus might have stopped Apple from doing that in the past, now they don’t care either since they also have equity in Apple and are counting on Apple to avoid any disruption to their business with China (whether manufacturing, direct sales, or any piece of the supply chain)?

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Aren't they simply legally bound? If they can do it (technically), and they are to do it (legally), how can they oppose doing it.

In fact, I have never understood the concept of "informational activity in the territory": I could not conceive that a server in Morocco, accessible to those in Nauru, should obey the legislation of Nauru. If two people on the Indian-Pakistani border shout at each other, the legislation of what is said from the left side should be that of the left side, where the actor (more accurately 'reactor') is - I would say.

If an entity is subject to the legislation of some country it must be because the entity must have a presence in that country that makes it a legal subject, probably a distinct branch.

Apple has a financial incentive to comply. The Chinese market is so huge. Most american companies would do anything to gain access to a market like that. When you do business in China, if the CCP says jump, you jump or prepare to forefit every single asset you have in that country. Full stop.

> For example, if China demanded Apple hand over information on which all iPhone users have <x> religious app installed so it can profile or do worse things to that group, would Apple just oblige?

iCloud data for Chinese is now stored on Chinese servers, after famously not being stored there.

> Is there a place where American companies draw the line? Or is there one?

Yeah, if it loses money or harms profit, that crosses the line.

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