Bad Apple

[capriccio]

I just noticed that Apple is helping to promote yuks through torture, political imprisonment and extreme Rightwing yahooism by offering free downloads of the Gitmo Club widget.
http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/webcams/clubgitmophotogallery.html

If this bothers you as much as it bothers me (and as much as it SHOULD bother Apple) here's the link for letting Apple know.
http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/feedback/

[Deja Q]

1. Don't forget this

http://www.badapple.biz

I'm glad I'm not their customer. (they can recycle ipods but the batteries probably still get chucked to their usual locations...)

[IChing]

2. I wrote them and thank them for helping promoting torture and hate

I love my widgets , my PB and no spyware.

[benburch]

3. Give them hell for this one, folks.

I think they will respond.

[patrice]

4. Done.

Amongst other things, I told them they are giving themselves "an image that they will regret."

[whatever4]

5. Thank you for posting that

I agree, that's a horrible thing. I sent them a note
"
When I saw this...Apple? I was disappointed. And sad.

http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/webcams/clubgitmophotogallery.html

I'm not shocked anymore, at the loss of our nation and our ideals. It's happening in waves now, everyday. We're at war, our prisons are full to bursting, and on and on. But, for some reason, I didn't expect to be sold out by Apple. Don't ask me why; it didn't fit your reputation. The commercial image you portrayed seemed more...human.

How can you help these people guys? Why? Think your families and friends are going to be any safer from this monster of an administration than those poor Irais are? Why would you think that; we're ALL bugs to these people. Conservatives and Liberals alike are cannon fodder to this admin, how how how could you possibly be a part of that?? How can losing America benefit you? Isn't it more like killing the Golden Goose? Isn't it?

You have no idea how many tears I've cried. You have no idea how far hope has sunk. I guess you had no idea you were a part of it. I know you do now. I can only wish it meant something. "

[eyesroll]

6. I don't know -- do they approve of the widgets they post?

I looked at their submission guidelines, and it looks like they take just about everything that conforms to their tech standards:

http://www.apple.com/downloads/dashboard/submit/

I don't have a problem with them providing offensive third-party widgets if their policy is to allow things without regard to content. From what I can tell, all of their "we reserve the right" disclaimers refer to tech standards and copyrights, but not content.

To me, this isn't much different from a bookstore carrying Ann Coulter (or even hosting a signing) or a grocery store allowing a bulletin-board posting for an anti-Cindy rally. We may not like it, and they might not like the stuff we post there, either, but that's the way it works.

[mondo joe]

7. I agree. We don't complain to Amazon for carrying Coulter books.

Apple is just providing access as they do with all other widgets.

[capriccio]

8. Here's the diff

You pay for Coulter's book if you want it. The widget is a free promotion for Rush & his goons...courtesy of Apple.

My guess on this is, as others have suggested, Apple was only intertested in technical compliance and didn't pay any attention to the content. But I'm guessing also that if there was a webcam widget that was titled something like, Sorority Girls of the SEC, it wouldn't have gotten by.

[benburch]

9. VICTORY! Apple removed "Club Gitmo" Dashboard Widget!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4500752&mesg_id=4500752