I just woke up to this news and I'm wondering if it's possible for Apple and Google to brick all Russian phones? This would probably be more effective on their population at large than any form of sanctions.
Even if it's possible, for Apple, it would be an utterly disastrous thing to do. Imagine the damage to its reputation. If they were to do it in this situation, the argument would go, what about other situations? What about all the phones they sell in China, for example. Are there circumstances where they should brick all US Democrat or Republican phones? It would be the end of Apple, and that's why it would (hopefully, thankfully) never happen.
Parent wasn’t making a slippery slope argument FWIW. They were making a PR argument based on the propensity of the general public to fall for slippery slope arguments.
> Russian tanks and artillery don't use the Google Play Store.
But the wives and children of those who move them do. People in the West don't seem to notice a crucial aspect of modern Russia: extended families of those in charge live in the West. They study in Stanford and Harvard, mingle in Aspen, have holiday homes in the Hamptons. Russia is merely a piggy bank to finance that lifestyle. They are at the mercy of Western governments, because they've turned Russia into a stagnating shithole that even at its best is far below the upper-middle class standard in the West. Without access to Western resources, from mansions in Knightsbridge to accounts on Instagram, all that looted money becomes worthless.
All you need to do is let them sleep in the bed they've made. Freeze bank accounts, confiscate property, deny visas. Make them live that global jet-set lifestyle in Rostov oblast.
As history shows again and again, attacks against the civilian population only serve to strenghten the support for the local tyrant. This would be just as counter-effective as the sanctions.
Both Apple and Google offer remote wiping of devices as features, and they both have root access on all of their devices. They can do whatever they want to on anyone's phone.
OTOH, why does china even allow Apple or Google devices today? Because Chinese people want to purchase these products and at this point there would be pushback if they were suddenly banned.
China doesn't allow Google devices today, Android the open source operating system is allowed but the Google services that make up Google devices are not. China allows Apple devices because Apple collaborates with the CCP, as do all businesses who operate in China.
Again why does china even bother to play ball with Apple? They could just have Xiaomi phones, not worry about apple holding up their own end of their bargain, and ensure they have total control entirely. The answer is because the Chinese consumer today might want to purchase an apple iphone over a xiaomi phone, and it would be unpopular for the regime to crack down on a freedom seen as established in the Chinese nation today.
Just like it would have been unpopular for the regime to ban the most popular search and services company in the world?
I don't know why you think China needs to worry about Apple, Apple has been a faithful and lucrative partner to them. They don't just faithfully collaborate on censorship and cede control of encrypted Chinese iCloud data directly to a state-owned cloud provider, we now know that Apple has signed a $275B omnibus deal with China that includes Chinese startup investments, Chinese worker training, and R&D collaboration with Chinese tech firms. There is no government that Apple invests more into or collaborates more closely with than China's.
Why not just have Xiaomi phones where you have total control? Well, because you can have that and total control over a global tech giant that pours foreign money and technology into your regime. Why not have both?
Targeting the population at large only even has the potential to have an effect in a democracy (and even then it seems plausible it would only create a stronger national sense of an external enemy). I don't understand what you want to accomplish by hurting innocent russians. The strategy so far seems to be to target the economy and ogliarchs, which actually has an effect on decision makers.
Kapersky? If it's running Kapersky it's not running anything that critical. The cyberwarfare capabilities of the US, EU and allies are not to be underestimated, even if they have used more precisely and conservatively than Russia's sphere.
Two US-owned companies remotely accessing peoples' mobile Internet devicces/cameras/personal document storage and disabling them throughout a country that just went to war?
How does that possibly sound in any way like a good idea?
Basically all companies should seize any economic activity in Russia and with Russia. And all of the properties of Russian companies should be nationalized by respective countries and all Russian citizens involved in ownership of those should have their visas revoked and be deported.
Any reclamation or reversals should be only made possible after last Russian soldier leave Ukraine.
They can, but they will not. If they have any direct dealings with the Russian government then they should probably stop (which they probably already have to due to sanctions), but otherwise it's best for large corporations to stay out of geopolitics.
Congratulations! You bring an idea to brick all Russian phones including phones of opposition, people who against the war, political prisoners, and other people who just live in the country.
I don't fault OP for brainstorming ideas, especially since I assume its done with the intent of finding ways to protect civilians, but you point out what is critical here: the west cannot give up on the Russian people. By-and-large they do not support this act of war and the best way to further our interests is to continue to foster a desire for change in them.
If the war is seen as something distant that has no impact at all on the average Russian's life will they actually care about it or will they just ignore it?
To be clear I don't wish anything bad for the general Russian population, among which I have many friends, let alone Putin's opposition. And this may not be the best strategic idea, but it's a possible one that fits the theme of this community - so I think the snarkiness is uncalled for.
Yeah, idk if it would end the conflict exactly. But making more of the citizens there mad about it could help. Let's cut their cable feeds and internet services. I know they have some of their own, but imagine not being able to Google stuff.
What you are suggesting will backfire. IDK why people have such cynical thoughts to make people's life more difficult. Many Russian don't support Putin, so why even try to punish them?
if only the tank's control system ran on ios/android ..jokes aside, doing such a thing would actually galvanize the russian civilian population to support the government.
