(Thomas Dishaw) As Apple slave goods continue to dominate every corner of the technological market, there are more and more reasons surfacing as to why consumers should not support this company.
Before you decide to spend another hard-earned dollar on Apple products, you should take the time to review their ridiculous privacy policy that entitles them to every confidential piece of information you compile while using your iPhone.
If that doesn’t stop you right there, perhaps you should take a look at the inhumane working conditions inside their Chinese factories that now come equipped with suicide nets to prevent workers from jumping to their death.
I could go on and on about all the terrible practices Apple institutes on both sides of the coin, but the one that is most disturbing is Apple’s assault on basic human rights. I would categorize the ability to use my phone’s camera for pictures and video recording as a basic human right.
This will be drastically regulated in the near future with the institution of U.S. Patent No. 8,254,902 better known as “apparatus and methods for enforcement of policies upon a wireless device.” The patent granted in August 2012 gives Governments, businesses, and network owners the right to disable your camera, wi-fi and video capabilities on an iPhone for any reason, at any time. Apple, being the sneaky innovators they are, will pre-package this application into the phones and most likely all other mobile products in the future.
The technology will be activated when infrared sensors detect your phone going into camera mode, ultimately disabling it and stopping you from taking a flower. Apple is marketing the technology as a crime fighting tool that will combat piracy at live music events.
However, imagine you are at a Monsanto, World Bank or G-20 protest and you can’t document anything because your phone mysteriously won’t record or take pictures. Or imagine if they equipped buildings like the Press Briefing Room, The National Press Club and Capital Buildings to disable your device, which would allow them to select which reporters get access to critical information and interviews based on allegiance to particular political beliefs and ideals.
Ultimately I can see this kill switch being used by all companies such as slaughterhouses, grocery stores, malls and any fortune 500’s that don’t want unhappy customers giving them bad press and spreading it on all the social networks.
Once they institute this Orwellian technology it will drastically handcuff independent journalist, whistleblowers and activist who depend on the basic capabilities of photos and video to document their claims. Unbeknownst to the technocrats there is a way to beat them, and it is as simple as going low-tech instead. I suggest everyone visit their local garage sale or thrift store to purchase a 35 mm camera. This is just one of the ways we can beat them at their own game.