Criticism of Apple Inc.#Taxes

{{Main|Litigation involving Apple Inc.}}

{{See also|Apple and Adobe Flash controversy|Think Secret}}

United States v. Apple is an antitrust lawsuit by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2024.{{cite news |last1=McCabe |first1=David |last2=Mickle |first2=Tripp |date=March 21, 2024 |title=U.S. Sues Apple, Accusing It of Maintaining an iPhone Monopoly |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/21/technology/apple-doj-lawsuit-antitrust.html |access-date=March 22, 2024 |newspaper=The New York Times |quote=The Justice Department and 16 state attorneys general filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple on Thursday, the federal government's most significant challenge to the reach and influence of the company that has put iPhones in the hands of more than a billion people.}}{{cite web |title=Justice Department Sues Apple for Monopolizing Smartphone Markets |url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-apple-monopolizing-smartphone-markets |access-date=29 March 2024 |work=U.S. Department of Justice|date=20 March 2024 }} The lawsuit contrasts the practices of Apple with those of Microsoft in United States v. Microsoft Corp., and alleges that Apple engages in similar tactics and committing even more egregious violations.{{Cite web |last=Song |first=Victoria |date=2024-03-21 |title=US v. Apple: everything you need to know |url=https://www.theverge.com/24107581/doj-v-apple-antitrust-monoply-news-updates |access-date=2024-03-21 |website=The Verge |language=en}} This followed Epic Games v. Apple and the enforcement of the Digital Markets Act in the European Union.{{cite web |last1=Radel |first1=Felecia |title=What the DOJ lawsuit against Apple could mean for consumers |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/03/21/what-the-doj-lawsuit-against-apple-could-mean-for-consumers/73054825007/ |access-date=22 March 2024 |website=USA Today}}

Apple, Google, and other major technology companies illegally conspired in a "no-poaching" pact to prevent employees from seeking improved compensation, which The New York Times called "embarrassing."{{Cite news |last=Streitfeld |first=David |date=2015-01-14 |title=Bigger Settlement Said to Be Reached in Silicon Valley Antitrust Case |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/15/technology/silicon-valley-antitrust-case-settlement-poaching-engineers.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |newspaper=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} A class-action lawsuit was settled for {{US$|415 million|long=no}} in 2015.{{Cite web |date=2015-09-03 |title=Judge approves settlement in Apple, Google wage case |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/la-fi-tn-tech-jobs-settlement-20150903-story.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}

Apple is litigious in enforcing its intellectual property (IP) rights including by challenging trademark applications. The New York Times called this bullying. This includes blocking a trademark of a logo with three interlocking apples used by the Appleton Area School District, a podcast named "Talk About Apples" from an artist in Atlanta; Apple Urgent Care in Riverside County, California; the stage name of a singer-songwriter, Franki Pineapple;{{Cite news |last1=Mac |first1=Ryan |last2=Browning |first2=Kellen |date=2022-03-11 |title=Apps and Oranges: Behind Apple's 'Bullying' on Trademarks |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/11/technology/apple-trademarks.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |newspaper=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} DOPi, a company that makes laptop bags and phone cases, for the lowercase i; and Woolworths Supermarkets, which shapes its W logo into an apple.{{Cite web |last=Moses |first=Julian Lee and Asher |date=2010-03-12 |title=Apple's future won't be brought to you by the letter 'i' |url=https://www.smh.com.au/technology/apples-future-wont-be-brought-to-you-by-the-letter-i-20100312-q27r.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Bleby |first=Michael |date=2015-01-09 |title=Apple's bite the ultimate accolade for Hulsbosch, the lord of logos |url=https://www.afr.com/companies/retail/apple-s-bite-the-ultimate-accolade-for-hulsbosch-the-lord-of-logos-20150110-12lelr |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Australian Financial Review |language=en}} NBC News referred to the practice as "lunacy".{{Cite web |last=Raphael |first=JR |date=2009-10-15 |title=Apple's logo lunacy: 5 previous trademark tiffs |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna33280940 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204182153/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna33280940 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 4, 2021 |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=NBC News |language=en}} In 2023, Apple attempted to gain IP rights over depictions of apples in Switzerland.{{Cite magazine |last=Galindo |first=Gabriela |title=Apple Is Taking On Apples in a Truly Weird Trademark Battle |url=https://www.wired.com/story/apple-vs-apples-trademark-battle/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}} Smaller competitors told the United States Congress in 2020 that such "bullying" drives them out of business, stifling competition.{{Cite news |last1=Nylen |first1=Leah |last2=Lima |first2=Cristiano |date=January 17, 2020 |title=Big Tech's 'bully' tactics stifle competition, smaller rivals tell Congress |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/17/big-tech-competition-investigation-100701 |access-date=June 19, 2024 |work=Politico}} The Register wrote in 2006 that Apple "sues itself in the foot" for a lawsuit against a community site for deep linking to the MacBook Pro service manual claiming the site infringed on their IP rights.{{Cite news |last=Orlowski |first=Andrew |date=May 4, 2006 |title=Apple sues itself in the foot (again) |url=https://www.theregister.com/2006/05/04/apple_sa_deep_links/ |access-date=June 19, 2024 |work=The Register}} Apple has pursued civil and criminal action against blogs over IP to maintain its culture of secrecy.

Apple has been criticized for the use of proprietary parts thereby thwarting self repair and servicing.{{cite magazine |date=2012-08-08 |title=If There's a Screw, There's a Way: Custom Screws Won't Stop the DIY Community |url=https://www.wired.com/2012/08/if-theres-a-screw-theres-a-way-custom-screws-wont-stop-the-diy-community/ |access-date=February 12, 2015 |magazine=Wired}}{{cite web |date=2012-06-13 |title=MacBook Pro with Retina display dismantled by iFixit, revealing soldered RAM |url=https://www.theverge.com/2012/6/13/3082514/macbook-pro-retina-display-ifixit-teardown |access-date=February 12, 2015 |work=The Verge |publisher=Vox Media}} Apple has similarly faced controversy for having proprietary content ecosystems where the corporation gets to set unilateral policy. These proprietary services include the iTunes music and the App Store where it gets to unilaterally determine what content will be hosted, margins, and pricing.{{citation |last=Thompson |first=Bill |title=Time for Apple to face the music? |date=September 19, 2007 |work=BBC News |url=http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7002612.stm}}{{Cite web |last=Spangler|first=Todd |date=2022-11-28 |title=Apple Has Threatened to Pull Twitter From App Store, Musk Claims |url=https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/apple-threatened-pull-twitter-from-app-store-musk-1235443346/ |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

Employees have criticized Apple's culture of secrecy saying that levels of disclosure create hierarchies of superiority at the company.{{Cite web |last=Schiffer |first=Zoë |date=2021-09-30 |title=Apple's fortress of secrecy is crumbling from the inside |url=https://www.theverge.com/22700898/apple-company-culture-change-secrecy-employee-unrest |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=The Verge |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Turton |first=William |date=June 20, 2017 |title=Inside Apple's global war on leakers |url=https://theoutline.com/post/1766/leaked-recording-inside-apple-s-global-war-on-leakers |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=The Outline |language=en}} They said it wears developers down and isolates them from their loved ones.{{Cite news |last=Bort |first=Julie |date=2017-01-16 |title=Apple's culture of secrecy is wearing down its developers |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/apples-culture-of-secrecy-is-wearing-down-its-developers/articleshow/56587336.cms |access-date=2024-06-19 |work=The Economic Times |issn=0013-0389}}{{Cite news |last=Edwards |first=Jim |date=2016-12-16 |title=Apple employees break their vow of secrecy to describe the best — and worst — things about working for Apple {{!}} The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/apple-employees-vow-secrecy-describe-best-worst-working-apple-a7480106.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |work=The Independent |language=en}} In 2017, an Apple engineer was fired after his daughter recorded a video of the new iPhone X in the cafeteria and posted it to YouTube.{{Cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Ben |title=Apple fired an iPhone X engineer after his daughter's hands-on video went viral |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-fires-iphone-x-engineer-viral-video-2017-10 |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} Employees and outsiders have described Apple's secretive culture as creating a culture of fear and oppression.{{Cite web |last=Crothers |first=Brooke |date=October 11, 2009 |title=Apple 'gag order' and the fear factor |url=https://www.cnet.com/science/apple-gag-order-and-the-fear-factor/ |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=CNET |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Dickey |first=Megan Rose |title=The Most Extreme Examples Of Secrecy At Apple |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/the-most-extreme-examples-of-secrecy-at-apple-2013-7 |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Brustein |first=Joshua |date=February 11, 2019 |title=What It's Like to Work Inside Apple's 'Black Site' |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2019-02-11/apple-black-site-gives-contractors-few-perks-little-security |access-date=June 28, 2024 |work=Bloomberg}}{{Cite web |last=Chen |first=Michelle |date=2012-03-21 |title=Even With Daisey's Lies Peeled Away, Apple's Rotten Core Exposed |url=https://inthesetimes.com/article/after-daisey-peeling-away-lies-still-reveals-apples-truly-rotten-core |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=In These Times |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Price |first=Rob |date=September 15, 2016 |title=Leaked Apple Employee Emails Reveal Alleged Workplace Sexism |url=https://www.inc.com/business-insider/apple-employee-leaked-emails-alleged-company-sexism-workplace-toxic.html |access-date=June 28, 2024 |work=Inc. Magazine}} One employee told The New York Times, "Never have I met people more terrified to speak out against their employer."

The Outline said the secrecy is a "needless cult" because it does not stop leaks.{{Cite web |last=Turton |first=William |title=Apple's needless cult of secrecy |url=https://theoutline.com/post/2226/apple-s-needless-cult-of-secrecy |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=The Outline |language=en}} Apple has issued misinformation to find leakers and keep the media unsure of current developments.{{cite news |last=Stone |first=Brad |title=Apple's Obsession With Secrecy Grows Stronger |date=2009-06-22 |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/23/technology/23apple.html?_r=2 |newspaper=New York Times}} Apple coordinated 'controlled' leaks to the public to gauge viability of products such as the iPad.{{Cite web |last=Fallon |first=Sean |date=2010-01-06 |title=How Apple "Unofficially" Leaks Information |url=https://gizmodo.com/how-apple-unofficially-leaks-information-5441693 |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=Gizmodo |language=en}}{{citation |author=Appleinsider Staff |title=Former Apple marketing manager describes company's 'controlled leaks' |date=2010-01-06 |url=http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/01/06/former_apple_marketing_manager_describes_companys_controlled_leaks.html |publisher=Appleinsider}} The Guardian reported research showing pre-release product information gives people the time and opportunity to consider their purchases carefully, but sudden product launches cause people to make purchases more impulsively.{{Cite news |last=Arthur |first=Charles |date=2008-02-21 |title=Why Apple's secretive approach is so effective |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2008/feb/21/apple.marketingandpr |access-date=2024-06-20 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite journal |last1=Grant |first1=Susan Jung |last2=Tybout |first2=Alice M. |date=2008 |title=The Effect of Temporal Frame on Information Considered in New Product Evaluation: The Role of Uncertainty |url=https://academic.oup.com/jcr/article-lookup/doi/10.1086/527342 |journal=Journal of Consumer Research |language=en |volume=34 |issue=6 |pages=897–913 |doi=10.1086/527342 |issn=0093-5301|url-access=subscription }}

{{See also|Apple v. Does}}

Apple aggressively investigates potential leaks and prosecutes and litigates against employees who are caught.{{Cite news |last=Mark |first=Gurman |date=April 13, 2018 |title=Apple Warns Employees to Stop Leaking Information to Media |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-04-13/apple-warns-employees-to-stop-leaking-information-to-media |access-date=June 19, 2024 |work=Bloomberg}}{{Cite news |last=Browning |first=Kellen |date=2021-11-02 |title=Another Apple Worker Says the Company Retaliated Against Her |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/02/technology/apple-worker-retaliation.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |newspaper=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=2021-03-12 |title=Apple alleges ex-MacBook Pro designer leaked secret details to reporter |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/03/apple-sues-ex-employee-alleging-leaks-of-secret-product-info-to-reporter/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Ars Technica |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |last=Khalid |first=Amrita |date=2024-03-29 |title=Apple sues former iOS engineer for allegedly leaking Vision Pro, Journal app details |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/28/24115067/apple-leak-lawsuit-andrew-aude |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=The Verge |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Topping |first=Alexandra |date=2009-07-22 |title=Apple factory worker kills himself after disappearance of prototype |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jul/22/apple-worker-suicide-prototype-missing |access-date=2024-06-19 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} In 2004, Apple sued several unnamed employees for leaking confidential information to two blogs. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) opposed to Apple's request for discovery of the blogs' sources and in 2006, the court of appeals sided with the EFF.{{Cite web |date=2011-07-01 |title=Apple v. Does |url=https://www.eff.org/cases/apple-v-does |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=Electronic Frontier Foundation |language=en}} In 2009, the strict secrecy drew ire from the public after a worker who lost a device died by suicide.{{Cite news |last=Barboza |first=David |date=2009-07-27 |title=IPhone Maker in China Is Under Fire After a Suicide |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/27/technology/companies/27apple.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |newspaper=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

In 2009, Gizmodo published an article titled, "Apple Gestapo: How Apple Hunts Down Leaks," which detailed Apple's Worldwide Loyalty Team responsible for tracking down leaks and lost prototypes.{{Cite web |last=Diaz |first=Jesus |date=2009-12-15 |title=Apple Gestapo: How Apple Hunts Down Leaks |url=https://gizmodo.com/apple-gestapo-how-apple-hunts-down-leaks-5427058 |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=Gizmodo |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Karlis |first=Nicole |date=2018-09-13 |title=Secrecy-obsessed Apple can't keep a secret |url=https://www.salon.com/2018/09/13/apple-obsessed-with-secrecy-cannot-keep-a-secret/ |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=Salon |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Bosker |first=Bianca |date=2010-03-18 |title=Apple 'Gestapo': How Apple Hunts Down Leaks |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/apple-gestapo-worldwide-l_n_393358 |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=HuffPost |language=en}} Employees reportedly called the team the Gestapo, named after Nazi Germany's secret police. When the team suspects a leak, suspected departments are put on lockdown, searched, and asked to hand over their devices and sign non-disclosure agreements or face disciplinary action up to termination. Gizmodo and ZDNET compared the practice to George Orwell's novel 1984.{{Cite web |last=O'Grady |first=Jason D. |date=December 17, 2009 |title=The anatomy of an Apple raid |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-anatomy-of-an-apple-raid/ |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=ZDNET |language=en}} ZDNET referred to the operations as "raids" and characterized them as "quite scary."

In 2010, a Reuters reporter was assaulted while taking photos outside of a Foxconn plant during an investigation.{{Cite news |date=February 17, 2010 |title=For Apple suppliers, loose lips can sink contracts |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61G3XA20100217 |access-date=June 19, 2024}} Later that year, Apple obtained a search warrant to raid a Gizmodo blogger's home in search of an iPhone prototype that was purchased from someone who found it at a bar. The man who found it at the bar was charged with theft{{Cite web |last1=Sandoval |first1=Greg |last2=McCullagh |first2=Declan |date=October 11, 2011 |title=iPhone theft suspects enter no-contest plea |url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/iphone-theft-suspects-enter-no-contest-plea/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=CNET |language=en}} and the blogger was cleared of all charges.{{Cite magazine |last=Poulsen |first=Kevin |title=Gizmodo Cleared in Prototype iPhone Police Probe |url=https://www.wired.com/2011/08/gizmodo-iphone/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}} The New York Times described Apple's response to the events as "churlish".{{Cite news |last=Carr |first=David |date=2010-05-03 |title=A Lost iPhone Shows Apple's Churlish Side |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/03/business/media/03carr.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |newspaper=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} CNN argued that constitutionally and under the Law of California, the district attorney should have issued a subpoena instead of a search warrant.{{Cite web |last=Scheer |first=Peter |date=May 3, 2010 |title=Missing iPhone case led to 'virtual strip-search' - CNN.com |url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/03/scheer.iphone.search.warrant/index.html |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=CNN |language=en}} Columbia Journalism Review published an article about Apple's aggressive behavior toward journalists to maintain secrecy, referencing the Gizmodo case, but also three lawsuits Apple filed against bloggers for reporting on leaked trade secrets.{{Cite web |last=Chittum |first=Ryan |title=Apple's Aggression Against the Press (Yep, Gizmodo Counts) |url=https://www.cjr.org/the_audit/apples_aggression_against_the.php |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Columbia Journalism Review |language=en}}

The following year, Wired reported that Apple employees allegedly posed as San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) officers to search a home for a lost iPhone prototype left at a bar, which Apple tracked with GPS.{{Cite magazine |last=Bonnington |first=Christina |title=Apple Investigators Allegedly Posed as Cops in iPhone Prototype Hunt |url=https://www.wired.com/2011/09/iphone5-lost-in-bar-more/ |access-date=2024-06-28 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}} Four plain-clothed SFPD officers accompanied two Apple investigators to the home. Three officers flashed their badges and announced they were the police, but the investigators did not identify themselves as Apple employees. The resident presumed they were all officers and allowed the investigators to search the home.{{Cite web |last1=Streitfeld |first1=David |last2=Kopytoff |first2=Verne G. |date=2011-09-02 |title=Apple's Unusual Hunt for a Missing iPhone |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/02/oops-apple-loses-a-phone-again/ |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=The New York Times |language=en}} The resident did not know anything about the device. One Apple investigator was later identified as a former police sergeant. No report was ever filed and there is no public record of the visit.{{Cite magazine |last=Bonnington |first=Christina |title=San Francisco Police Assist Apple to Recover 'Lost Item' |url=https://www.wired.com/2011/09/update-sfpd-iphone/ |access-date=2024-06-28 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}{{Cite web |last=Rothman |first=Wilson |date=2011-09-02 |title=Did Apple snoops pose as cops in iPhone hunt? (UPDATED) |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/did-apple-snoops-pose-cops-iphone-hunt-updated-flna121012 |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=NBC News |language=en}} Time and The New York Times referred to the incident as "sketchy" and Time asked, "Does Apple have its own secret mafia?"{{Cite magazine |last=Ho |first=Erica |date=2011-09-02 |title=The Case of the Missing iPhone 5 Gets Even Sketchier |url=https://techland.time.com/2011/09/02/the-case-of-the-missing-iphone-5-gets-even-sketchier/ |access-date=2024-06-28 |magazine=Time |language=en-US |issn=0040-781X}}

Employees have said that Apple's secrecy policies conflate legally-protected speech such as working conditions with protecting product development. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) made a statement that Apple's rules and communication around secrecy violate federal labor laws after a recording of an employee townhall, which detailed workplace conditions, was leaked to the press. Tim Cook sent employees follow-up memo that said they were doing "everything in our power to identify those who leaked," that "people who leak confidential information do not belong here," and "whether it’s product IP or the details of a confidential meeting."{{Cite news |last=Mickle |first=Tripp |date=2023-01-31 |title=Regulators Find Apple's Secrecy Violates Workers' Rights |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/31/technology/apple-workers-rights.html |access-date=2024-06-13 |newspaper=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{cite web |last=Schiffer |first=Zoe |date=2021-09-22 |title=Tim Cook says employees who leak memos do not belong at Apple, according to leaked memo |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/22/22687747/tim-cook-employee-leak-memos-do-not-belong-at-apple |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220103210327/https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/22/22687747/tim-cook-employee-leak-memos-do-not-belong-at-apple |archive-date=January 3, 2022 |access-date=2022-01-03 |website=The Verge |language=en}}{{Cite web |last1=Nicas |first1=Jack |last2=Browning |first2=Kellen |date=September 17, 2021 |title=Tim Cook Faces Surprising Employee Unrest at Apple |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/17/technology/apple-employee-unrest.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210929173218/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/17/technology/apple-employee-unrest.html |archive-date=2021-09-29 |access-date=2021-09-30 |website=The New York Times |language=en}} An employee who asked questions at the townhall and was known for activism at the company was investigated for the leak and subsequently fired after she deleted materials from her work devices.{{cite news |date=October 15, 2021 |title=Apple Employee Who Led #AppleToo Anti-Harassment Effort Says She Was Fired |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/appletoo-apple-employee-organizer-fired-janneke-parrish/ |access-date=December 30, 2022 |publisher=CBS News}}{{Cite news |last=Browning |first=Kellen |date=2021-10-15 |title=Leader of Apple activism movement says she was fired. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/15/technology/appletoo-apple-janneke-parrish.html |url-access=limited |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211015175133/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/15/technology/appletoo-apple-janneke-parrish.html |archive-date=October 15, 2021 |access-date=2024-06-17 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

In 2005, four voice actors, including Susan Bennett, made voice recordings as part of a database owned by Scansoft and licensed by Apple. None of them were compensated or told what the project was for.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-23 |title=The real voice of Siri wasn't paid by Apple {{!}} Fox Business Video |url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6347478992112 |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=Fox Business |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Parkinson |first=Hannah Jane |date=2015-08-12 |title=Hey, Siri! Meet the real people behind Apple's voice-activated assistant |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/aug/12/siri-real-voices-apple-ios-assistant-jon-briggs-susan-bennett-karen-jacobsen |access-date=2024-07-04 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

In 2017, Apple announced Face ID as a neural network technology that was private and safe because it was stored locally on the device and never uploaded to the cloud.{{Cite news |last=Kelion |first=Leo |date=2017-09-27 |title=IPhone X to use 'black box' anti-spoof Face ID tech |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-41412560 |access-date=2024-07-04 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Yurieff |first=Kaya |date=2017-09-14 |title=Senator writes letter to Apple's Tim Cook on Face ID privacy concerns |url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/09/14/technology/al-franken-iphone-x-face-id/index.html |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=CNNMoney}}{{Cite web |last=Brandon |first=John |date=2017-09-14 |title=Apple is using machine learning for Face ID. Is that a good thing? |url=https://venturebeat.com/security/apple-is-using-machine-learning-for-face-id-is-that-a-good-thing/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=VentureBeat |language=en-US}} The Verge questioned Apple's intent for future uses of the data.{{Cite web |last=Brandom |first=Russell |date=2017-09-12 |title=The five biggest questions about Apple's new facial recognition system |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/12/16298156/apple-iphone-x-face-id-security-privacy-police-unlock |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=The Verge |language=en}} Minnesota senator Al Franken questioned the privacy and security asking the source of Apple's facial training data (reported to be over a billion images), the diversity of the data set, and how Apple planned to respond to law enforcement requests for any facial data. Apple said in their response, "We worked with participants from around the world to include a representative group of people accounting for gender, age, ethnicity and other factors," and that studies were conducted with informed consent.{{Cite web |last=Lomas |first=Natasha |date=2017-10-17 |title=Apple responds to Senator Franken's Face ID privacy concerns |url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/17/apple-responds-to-senator-frankens-face-id-privacy-concerns/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}} In August 2021, The Verge published "Apple cares about privacy, unless you work at Apple," which detailed an internal tool called "Glimmer" (formerly "Gobbler") employees used to test Face ID. One employee later suggested the billion images came from Apple's dogfooding,{{Cite web |last=Lomas |first=Natasha |date=2022-04-11 |title=Ex-Apple employee takes Face ID privacy complaint to Europe |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/04/11/gobbler-complaint-europe/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}} a practice CEO Steve Jobs started in the 1980s.{{Cite news |last=Ditlea |first=Steve |date=October 1, 1981 |title=Inc.'s October 1981 Cover Story: Steve Jobs, the Man Who Changed Business Forever |url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/19811001/2033.html |access-date=July 4, 2024 |work=Inc}} In 2020, Apple said they 3D scanned hundreds of ears for the development of the AirPods in user studies which invited participation of Apple employees.{{Cite magazine |last=White |first=Jeremy |title=The secrets behind the runaway success of Apple's AirPods |url=https://www.wired.com/story/apple-airpods-success/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}{{Cite web |last=Cameron |first=Dell |date=2021-10-15 |title=Apple Wanted Her Fired. It Settled on an Absurd Excuse |url=https://gizmodo.com/apple-wanted-her-fired-it-settled-on-an-absurd-excuse-1847868789 |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=Gizmodo |language=en-US}}

In 2024, Apple announced its generative artificial intelligence product was coming to devices under the name Apple Intelligence. Artists criticized Apple's lack of transparency around the sources of its training data. Apple has publicly stated that it uses a proprietary web crawler called AppleBot that scrapes "public data" from the web to train its models. Apple says it requests publisher opt-out through the use of robots.txt, which tells crawlers not to scrape certain web pages. Engadget questioned from a technological perspective if opting out was even possible once data has been added to the model.{{Cite web |last=Dixit |first=Pranav |date=2024-07-03 |title=Artists criticize Apple's lack of transparency around Apple Intelligence data |url=https://www.engadget.com/artists-criticize-apples-lack-of-transparency-around-apple-intelligence-data-131250021.html |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=Engadget |language=en-US}} CNN criticized the procedure saying it places the burden on publishers to safeguard their data from Apple.{{Cite web |last=Fung |first=Brian |date=2024-06-13 |title=What is Apple's AI doing with your data? {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/13/tech/apple-ai-data-openai-artificial-intelligence/index.html |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=CNN |language=en}} John Giannandrea, head of Apple's AI and machine learning department said large amounts of training data are created by Apple. CNN also questioned how Apple would use consumer data after it announced a partnership with OpenAI for use of ChatGPT. Earlier in the year, Apple apologized for a "dystopian" advertisement for the iPad, which crushed art tools and musical instruments with a hydraulic press, after the ad was widely criticized by artists.{{Cite magazine |last=Madarang |first=Charisma |date=2024-05-10 |title=Apple Apologizes for Dystopian Ad That Crushes Art Tools |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/apple-apologizes-crush-ipad-ad-1235018260/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}

{{See also|Apple Watch health monitoring patent dispute|Criticism of Apple#Antitrust and anti-competitive practices}}

In 2012, multiple groups of Chinese writers were awarded compensation of over $200,000 from Apple for hosting apps that contained unlicensed versions of their books, according to Chinese state media.{{cite web |date=28 December 2012 |title=Apple loses another copyright lawsuit in China-Xinhua |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/apple-china-lawsuit-idUSL4N0A22C120121228 |website=Reuters |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Apple to pay Chinese authors $118,000 for violating copyrights |url=https://www.engadget.com/2013-04-25-apple-to-pay-chinese-authors-118-000-for-violating-copyrights.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADW6uZUOknTCYtCMP1CX_wYOtV38baj3enRtv12BuePE3JNQm_QWAqSMesfF3YG3u_kpCSUYB8ZXg0GxEZ7fSI31tptc9_FCQOE6jNWkk9LinoWdxPLhXuxVearlZTtTJFU-v5QdTuHLQ5BgpIu6lJU1QmJJI37F5BncxcIgH-v5 |website=Engadget | date=25 April 2013 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Olesen |first1=Alexa |date=19 March 2012 |title=Chinese writers sue Apple over e-book piracy |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2012/03/18/chinese-writers-sue-apple-over-e-book-piracy/ |work=The Mercury News |agency=Associated Press}} Also in 2012, a US district judge ruled that Apple infringed on The Tetris Company's copyrights when it cloned Tetris into a game called Mino.{{Cite magazine |last=Brown |first=Mark |title=US judge declares Tetris clone 'infringing' |url=https://www.wired.com/story/tetris-clone-ruling/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}

In 2023, Dan Ackerman sued Apple alleging that the film Tetris copied material from his 2016 book The Tetris Effect.{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=2023-08-08 |title=Apple Sued Over 'Tetris' by Gizmodo Editor, Who Alleges Film Stole From His Book About Soviet Game |url=https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/apple-tetris-lawsuit-gizmodo-editor-ackerman-1235691238/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

In 2022 and 2023, the United States International Trade Commission ruled that Apple had infringed on health company AliveCor's electrocardiogram technology and Masimo's blood oxygen sensor patent on the Apple Watch.{{Cite news |last=Brittain |first=Blake |date=December 23, 2022 |title=Apple Watches violate AliveCor patents but import ban on hold -U.S. ITC |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/apple-watches-violate-alivecor-patents-import-ban-hold-us-itc-2022-12-22/ |access-date=July 4, 2024 |work=Reuters}}{{Cite news |last=Allyn |first=Bobby |date=December 18, 2023 |title=Apple stops selling latest Apple Watch after losing patent case |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/12/18/1220125508/apple-watch-series-9-ultra-2-masimo-patent |access-date=July 4, 2024 |work=npr}} AliveCor's antitrust lawsuit was dismissed in 2024.{{Cite magazine |last=Ewe |first=Koh |date=2024-02-08 |title=Apple Watch: What to Know About the Legal Disputes |url=https://time.com/6692718/apple-watch-masimo-alivecor-patent-antitrust-legal-explainer/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |magazine=TIME |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=I lead one of the startups accusing Apple of patent infringement. Here's why Congress should side with us |url=https://fortune.com/2024/04/09/startups-accusing-apple-of-copyright-infringement-congress-tech-politics/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=Fortune |language=en}}

In 2019, Apple contractor Thomas le Bonniec filed complaints with European privacy regulators and went to the press with allegations that Apple had been recording, storing, and using audio of its consumers without their knowledge or consent using Siri.{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Adam |date=May 20, 2020 |title=Apple's Siri violated 'the privacy of millions,' says whistleblower |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/apple-siri-iphone-privacy-breach-data-whistleblower-a9523951.html |access-date=July 4, 2024 |work=The Independent}}{{Cite web |last=Coldewey |first=Devin |date=2019-07-26 |title=Siri recordings 'regularly' sent to Apple contractors for analysis, claims whistleblower |url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/07/26/siri-recordings-regularly-sent-to-apple-contractors-for-analysis-claims-whistleblower/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |last=Hern |first=Alex |date=2019-07-26 |title=Apple contractors 'regularly hear confidential details' on Siri recordings |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jul/26/apple-contractors-regularly-hear-confidential-details-on-siri-recordings |access-date=2024-07-04 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} In 2020, Apple apologized and suspended the program.{{Cite web |last=Hamilton |first=Isobel Asher |title=An Apple whistleblower has publicly slammed the company, claiming it violated 'fundamental rights' after Siri recorded users' intimate moments without consent |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-whistleblower-siri-recordings-violating-fundamental-rights-2020-5 |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} They were ordered to pay $95 million to settle a class action lawsuit related to the practice.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-07 |title=Apple to pay $95m to settle Siri listening case |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr4rvr495rgo |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=www.bbc.com |language=en-GB}}

In 2022, Apple scrapped a plan to scan iCloud for child pornography, which received widespread criticism for its privacy and surveillance implications.{{Cite magazine |last=Newman |first=Lily Hay |title=Apple Kills Its Plan to Scan Your Photos for CSAM. Here's What's Next |url=https://www.wired.com/story/apple-photo-scanning-csam-communication-safety-messages/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}{{Cite magazine |last=Newman |first=Lily Hay |date=2023-09-04 |title=Apple's decision to kill Its CSAM photo-scanning tool sparks fresh controversy |url=https://www.wired.com/story/apple-csam-scanning-heat-initiative-letter/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |magazine=WIRED |language=en-GB}}

{{Main|Environmental impact of Apple}}{{See also|Criticism of Greenpeace#Greener Electronics campaign}}

Apple has received both praise and criticism for its environmental practices. The praise was for reduction of hazardous chemicals in products and transition to clean energy supplies, while the criticism was for its wasteful use of raw materials in manufacturing, its vigorous opposition to right to repair laws, and the amount of e-waste created by its products.{{Cite web |last=Dayaram |first=Sareena |date=September 26, 2023 |title=How Green Is Apple? A Closer Look at the iPhone-Maker's Sustainability Credentials |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/how-green-is-apple-a-closer-look-at-the-iphone-makers-sustainability-credentials/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=CNET |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Vinocur |first=Nicholas |date=2018-10-24 |title=Italy hits Apple, Samsung with fines over 'planned obsolescence' |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/italy-hits-apple-samsung-with-fines-over-planned-obsolescence/ |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=POLITICO |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Koebler |first=Jason |date=2017-04-20 |title=Apple Forces Recyclers to Shred All iPhones and MacBooks |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/apple-recycling-iphones-macbooks/ |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=Vice |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Maja |first=Van der Velden |date=2020-06-11 |title=Apple uses trademark law to strengthen its monopoly on repair |url=https://repair.eu/news/apple-uses-trademark-law-to-strengthen-its-monopoly-on-repair/ |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=Right to Repair Europe |language=en-US}} Apple has been fined numerous times by environmental authorities for improper handling of hazardous waste under state and federal regulations by various divisions of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).{{Cite web |date=2016-12-07 |title=Apple pays $450,000 for alleged hazardous waste violations |url=https://apnews.com/general-news-5cddbec01afe4952a8cdeb8de80eae9d |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=AP News |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Turner |first=Melanie |date=April 16, 2017 |title=Apple fined for air quality violation in Elk Grove |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2007/04/16/daily9.html |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=Business Journals}}{{Cite web |last=Carrington |first=Don |date=2017-10-06 |title=Apple clean energy project fined for environmental violations |url=https://www.carolinajournal.com/apple-clean-energy-project-fined-for-environmental-violations/ |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=Carolina Journal |language=en-US}} In June 2024, the EPA published a report about an electronic computer manufacturing facility in Santa Clara, California that found Apple may have violated the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.{{Cite web |last=Roscoe |first=Jules |date=2024-06-25 |title=California Apple Manufacturing Facility Has 19 'Potential Violations' of EPA Regulations |url=https://www.404media.co/california-apple-manufacturing-facility-has-19-potential-violations-of-epa-regulations/ |access-date=2024-06-27 |website=404 Media |language=en}}

{{Main|Censorship by Apple}}

{{See also|Apple–FBI encryption dispute|HKmap.live#iOS app}}

Leaked National Security Agency documents obtained by The Guardian{{cite news |last=Greenwald |first=Glenn |date=June 6, 2013 |title=NSA taps in to internet giants' systems to mine user data, secret files reveal |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/06/us-tech-giants-nsa-data |access-date=June 6, 2013 |work=The Guardian |location=London}} and The Washington Post{{cite news |last1=Gellman |first1=Barton |last2=Poitras |first2=Laura |date=June 6, 2013 |title=U.S. intelligence mining data from nine U.S. Internet companies in broad secret program |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/us-intelligence-mining-data-from-nine-us-internet-companies-in-broad-secret-program/2013/06/06/3a0c0da8-cebf-11e2-8845-d970ccb04497_story.html?hpid=z1 |access-date=June 6, 2013 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} in June 2013 included Apple in the list of American companies that allegedly cooperate with PRISM, which authorizes the US government to secretly access data of non-American citizens hosted by American companies without a warrant. Following the leak, US government officials acknowledged{{cite news |last1=Savage |first1=Charlie |last2=Wyatt |first2=Edward |last3=Baker |first3=Peter |date=June 6, 2013 |title=U.S. says it gathers online data abroad |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/07/us/nsa-verizon-calls.html |newspaper=The New York Times}} the existence of the program. According to the leaked documents, the NSA has direct access to servers of those companies, and the amount of data collected through the program had been growing fast in years prior to the leak. Apple has denied having any knowledge of the program.{{cite web |date=June 6, 2013 |title=Google, Facebook, Dropbox, Yahoo, Microsoft And Apple Deny Participation In NSA PRISM Surveillance Program |url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/06/06/google-facebook-apple-deny-participation-in-nsa-prism-program/ |access-date=June 6, 2013 |publisher=TechCrunch}}

In 2019, The Atlantic published the article "Apple’s Empty Grandstanding About Privacy," which alleged that Apple enables surveillance while the CEO claims that "privacy is a fundamental human right."{{Cite web |last=Bogost |first=Ian |date=2019-01-31 |title=Apple's Empty Grandstanding About Privacy |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/01/apples-hypocritical-defense-data-privacy/581680/ |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}

Apple has been criticized for censorship in compliance with authoritarian governments around the world, including during 2020 Belarusian protests,{{Cite web |title=Apple claims it has not requested blocking of Telegram channels on Belarus |url=https://tass.com/world/1210639 |access-date=2019-09-09 |website=TASS |language=en}} during the 2022 COVID-19 protests in China,Steven Jiang and Juliana Liu. [https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/11/business/china-apple-airdrop-function-restricted-hnk-intl/index.html "Apple curbs AirDrop file sharing on devices in China."] CNN. 11 November 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2022.Zachary M. Seward. [https://qz.com/apple-airdrop-china-protest-tool-1849824435 "Apple hobbled a crucial tool of dissent in China weeks before widespread protests broke out."] Quartz. 27 November 2022. Retrieved 28 November 2022. the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests,{{Cite web |last=McCarthy |first=Kieren |date=October 2, 2019 |title=Here's that hippie, pro-privacy, pro-freedom Apple y'all so love: Hong Kong protest safety app banned from iOS store |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/10/02/apple_hong_kong/ |access-date=2019-10-11 |website=The Register |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Sullivan |first=Mark |date=2019-10-18 |title=AOC, Ted Cruz, and others blast Apple's Cook for 'censorship' of HKmap.live |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90419683/aoc-ted-cruz-and-others-blast-apples-cook-for-censorship-of-hkmap-live |access-date=2019-10-27 |website=Fast Company |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |author=Jordan Valinsky |date=11 October 2019 |title=Apple CEO Tim Cook defends decision to remove an app used by Hong Kong protesters |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/11/tech/apple-tim-cook-letter-hkmap-live/index.html |access-date=2019-10-27 |website=CNN}} the 2021 Russian legislative election,{{cite magazine |last1=Hay Newman |first1=Lily |date=17 September 2021 |title=Apple and Google Go Further Than Ever to Appease Russia |url=https://www.wired.com/story/russia-apple-google-voting-app-navalny/ |access-date=18 September 2021 |magazine=Wired}} the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation,{{Cite web |date=28 November 2019 |title=Apple under fire for labelling Crimea as part of Russia in its apps |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/28/apple-under-fire-for-labelling-crimea-as-part-of-russia-in-its-apps |access-date=24 January 2020 |website=The Guardian}}{{Cite news |date=2019-11-27 |title=Apple changes Crimea map to meet Russian demands |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50573069 |access-date=2024-06-28 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite news |last=Dixon |first=Robyn |date=2019-11-29 |title=In Russia, an Apple app shows an annexed Crimea. In Ukraine, a tweetstorm of anguish. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/in-russia-an-apple-app-shows-an-annexed-crimea-in-ukraine-a-tweetstorm-of-anguish/2019/11/28/9c316436-1203-11ea-9cd7-a1becbc82f5e_story.html |access-date=2024-06-28 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite web |last=Meredith |first=Sam |date=28 November 2019 |title=Ukraine condemns Apple for calling Crimea part of Russia in its apps |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/28/ukraine-condemns-apple-for-calling-crimea-part-of-russia-in-its-apps.html |access-date=24 January 2020 |website=CNBC}} and for filtering out terms like "democracy" and "human rights" for iPhone engravings in Chinese and banning Muslim content from the App Store.{{Cite web |author=James Vincent |date=August 19, 2021 |title=The four numbers Apple won't let you engrave on your iPad in China |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/19/22632029/apple-engraving-filter-censorship-keyword-china-hong-kong-taiwan |access-date=December 13, 2021 |work=The Verge}}{{Cite web |author=Ian Carlos Campbell |date=October 15, 2021 |title=Apple removed a popular Quran app in China |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/15/22728257/apple-quran-majeed-app-removed-china |access-date=December 13, 2021 |work=The Verge}} Apple has also been criticized for censoring various media in the United States including books, music, podcasts, newspaper articles, and television shows.{{cite news |last=Blake |first=Heidi |date=June 27, 2010 |title=Apple accused of censorship after porn disappears from iPad book chart |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/7911821/Apple-accused-of-censorship-after-porn-disappears-from-iPad-book-chart.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127200919/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/7911821/Apple-accused-of-censorship-after-porn-disappears-from-iPad-book-chart.html |archive-date=January 27, 2013 |accessdate=May 31, 2013 |work=The Telegraph}}[https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2008/oct/27/itunes-swear-words-censorship The songs that are too rude for iTunes] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221074547/https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2008/oct/27/itunes-swear-words-censorship|date=December 21, 2016}}, Michael Cragg, The Guardian October 27, 2008. Retrieved October 27, 2008.{{cite news |last1=Nicas |first1=Jack |date=6 August 2018 |title=Alex Jones and Infowars Content Is Removed From Apple, Facebook and YouTube |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/06/technology/infowars-alex-jones-apple-facebook-spotify.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181212102009/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/06/technology/infowars-alex-jones-apple-facebook-spotify.html |archive-date=December 12, 2018 |accessdate=11 December 2018 |work=The New York Times}}{{cite news |author=Jack Schofield |date=May 10, 2010 |title=Wikipedia's porn purge, and cleaning up for the iPad |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/may/10/ipad-apple |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104202826/http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/may/10/ipad-apple |archive-date=November 4, 2013 |access-date=December 14, 2016 |newspaper=The Guardian}}{{Cite news |last1=Zengerle |first1=Patricia |last2=Martina |first2=Michael |date=2023-11-15 |title=US lawmakers question Apple over Jon Stewart's China content |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/us-lawmakers-question-apple-over-jon-stewarts-china-content-2023-11-15/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231115153525/https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/us-lawmakers-question-apple-over-jon-stewarts-china-content-2023-11-15/ |archive-date=November 15, 2023 |access-date=2023-11-15 |work=Reuters |language=en}}

{{Main|Apple Inc. and unions|AppleToo}}

Apple retail employees have unionized or formed work councils worldwide in response to wages, excessive overtime, health and safety concerns, and employee surveillance.{{Cite news |last=Zhuang |first=Yan |date=October 18, 2022 |title=New Crack in Apple's Armor as Dozens Strike at Its Stores in Australia |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/17/business/apple-store-strike-australia.html |access-date=2022-11-15 |newspaper=New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |date=February 16, 2012 |title=Neuer Betriebsrat: Apple-Beschäftigte kritisieren miese Arbeitsbedingungen |trans-title=Apple employees criticize lousy working conditions |url=https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/neuer-betriebsrat-apple-beschaeftigte-kritisieren-miese-arbeitsbedingungen-a-815737.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829002256/https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/neuer-betriebsrat-apple-beschaeftigte-kritisieren-miese-arbeitsbedingungen-a-815737.html |archive-date=2021-08-29 |access-date=2021-08-28 |website=Der Spiegel |language=de}}{{Cite web |last=Martinelli |first=Nicole |date=October 28, 2011 |title=Italian Apple Employees Strike Before iPhone 4S Launch |url=https://www.cultofmac.com/126746/italian-apple-employees-strike-before-iphone-4s-launch/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210829002258/https://www.cultofmac.com/126746/italian-apple-employees-strike-before-iphone-4s-launch/ |archive-date=2021-08-29 |access-date=2021-08-28 |website=Cult of Mac |language=en-us}} In the United States, the company has been criticized for alleged anti-union stance and stifling worker organizing, resulting in unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).{{Cite news |last=Eidelson |first=Josh |date=December 16, 2022 |title=Apple Created a Pseudo-Union to Defeat Organizers in Ohio, Complaint Claims |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-16/apple-created-pseudo-union-to-defeat-organizers-complaint-says |access-date=2023-01-06 |work=Bloomberg News |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Vincent |first1=James |date=May 19, 2022 |title=Apple accused of union busting in its stores for the second time this week |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/5/19/23128247/apple-accused-union-busting-nyc-world-trade-center-stores-cwa |access-date=19 May 2022 |website=The Verge}} Charges have come from corporate workers, who formed a solidarity union called Apple Together as a "global network of solidarity between [Apple] unions".{{Cite web |last1=Corrales |first1=Roberto |last2=Aguiar |first2=Alberto R. |date=November 3, 2022 |title=Los sindicatos de Apple crean una red de solidaridad mundial, de Maryland a Tokio pasando por Barcelona: qué demandan en España |url=https://www.businessinsider.es/sindicatos-apple-eeuu-japon-espana-crean-red-apoyo-1137943 |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=Business Insider España |language=es}} On September 30, 2024, the NLRB charged Apple with forcing employees to sign "illegal" employment contracts and "interfering" with and "restraining" their rights under the National Labor Relations Act of 1935.{{Cite news |last=Dalloo |first=Rachel |date=October 10, 2024 |title=Apple is being accused of 'illegally' violating workers rights by the U.S. labor board |url=https://qz.com/u-s-labor-board-accuses-apple-of-illegal-workplace-vio-1851662141 |work=Quartz Magazine}} On October 10, 2024, the NLRB charged Apple with illegally firing an employee involved in #AppleToo and restricting social media and slack usage in violation of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935.{{Cite web |last=Wiessner |first=Daniel |date=October 11, 2024 |title=US labor board accuses Apple of restricting workers' Slack, social media use |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/apple-accused-restricting-workers-slack-social-media-use-by-us-labor-board-2024-10-11/ |website=Reuters}}

Corporate employees have criticized Apple's employee privacy rules, including a rule that says that employees have "no expectation of privacy" when using a personal device to conduct Apple-related business. They also spoke out about a practice of being discouraged from keeping a separate device for work and are expected to test software with informed consent.{{Cite web |last=Schiffer |first=Zoe |date=August 30, 2021 |title=Apple cares about privacy, unless you work at Apple |url=https://www.theverge.com/22648265/apple-employee-privacy-icloud-id |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210830163913/https://www.theverge.com/22648265/apple-employee-privacy-icloud-id |archive-date=August 30, 2021 |access-date=December 30, 2021 |website=The Verge |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Roach |first=Sarah |date=2021-09-20 |title=Worker surveillance is making employees miserable |url=https://www.protocol.com/workplace/worker-surveillance-is-making-employees-miserable |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921033344/https://www.protocol.com/workplace/worker-surveillance-is-making-employees-miserable |archive-date=September 21, 2021 |access-date=2022-01-03 |website=Protocol — The people, power and politics of tech |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Schiffer |first=Zoë |date=2021-10-16 |title=A brief chat with the fired #AppleToo organizer |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/16/22729072/apple-too-organizer-janneke-parrish-interview |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=The Verge |language=en}} Retail employees involved in unionizing used Android phones due to surveillance concerns from software Apple installs on employee devices and practices such as bag checks.{{cite news |last1=Albergotti |first1=Reed |title=Some U.S. Apple Store employees are working to unionize, part of a growing worker backlash |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/02/18/apple-retail-stores-union-labor/ |access-date=27 June 2024 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=18 February 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Bodurtha |first1=Phoebe |title=Apple's Disregard of Employee Privacy |url=https://onlabor.org/apples-disregard-of-employee-privacy/ |work=onlabor.org |date=1 April 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Hearing |first1=Alice |title=Apple settles $30.5 million lawsuit for mandatory bag checks on California staff |url=https://fortune.com/2022/08/18/apple-employee-bag-check-lawsuit-settles-california-court/ |work=Fortune |date=August 18, 2022 |language=en}} An employee filed a lawsuit against the company in California in December 2024 for its employee privacy practices.{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Emma |date=2024-12-02 |title=Apple accused of snooping on workers’ iPhones in new lawsuit |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/12/2/24311060/apple-employee-surveillance-lawsuit |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}

Apple has been criticized for a lack of diversity{{Cite web |last=Silberling |first=Amanda |date=2023-05-18 |title=Apple retail still has a diversity problem, union says |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/18/apple-still-has-a-diversity-problem/ |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}} and a culture of sexual harassment and mishandling of complaints by human resources and management.{{Cite news |last=Anguiano |first=Dani |date=2021-09-03 |title=#AppleToo: employees organize and allege harassment and discrimination |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/sep/03/appletoo-apple-employees-organize-allege-harassment-discrimination |access-date=2024-06-15 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |last=McGee |first=Patrick |date=August 4, 2022 |title=The women calling out Apple's handling of misconduct claims |url=https://www.ft.com/content/96160847-af3f-44b6-8129-1e39a73a28d3 |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=The Financial Times}}{{Cite news |last=Benner |first=Katie |date=2016-02-26 |title=Apple Shareholders Show Their Support for Tim Cook |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/27/technology/apple-shareholders-show-their-support-for-tim-cook.html |access-date=2024-06-13 |newspaper=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} In particular, wage gaps and the failure to promote women into leadership have been criticized since the early 1990s.{{Cite magazine |last=Fenton |first=Erfert |date=September 1991 |title=Inside Apple |access-date= |magazine=MacWorld |pages=180–181 |issue=9109}}{{Cite web |last=Lecher |first=Colin |date=2017-09-12 |title=As gender diversity battles roil Silicon Valley, Apple puts just one woman onstage |url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/12/16297342/apple-keynote-2017-diversity-sexism |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=The Verge |language=en}} In 2022, Apple removed concealment clauses from its employment agreements after a practice of offering severance in exchange for non-disclosure agreements was reported by Financial Times, corroborated by a third-party audit, and reported to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.{{Cite web |last=McGee |first=Patrick |date=December 9, 2022 |title=Apple to end employee gagging clauses after activist campaign |url=https://www.ft.com/content/8cd27d16-c996-4dc7-86af-ed6f40ff361c |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=The Financial Times}}{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Emma |date=December 10, 2022 |title=Apple will let its employees talk about discrimination and abuse |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/12/10/23503083/apple-employees-discrimination-abuse-ndas |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=The Verge |language=en}} Employees remarked that it was a part of Apple's culture of secrecy.{{Cite news |last=Fox |first=Kevin |date=November 23, 2021 |title=Apple Reportedly Lied in Recent Memo about NDAs and Silencing Employees |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/tech/apple/apple-lied-in-recent-memo-silences-employees |access-date=June 19, 2024 |work=Paste Magazine}} A gender pay bias and sexual harassment lawsuit was filed in June 2024 seeking class status.{{cite news |last1=Marcus |first1=Josh |date=14 June 2024 |title=Apple employees sue saying female workers are 'systematically' paid less than men |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/lawsuit-apple-pay-gender-bias-b2562461.html |access-date=14 June 2024 |work=The Independent |language=en}}

{{Main|Apple supply chain}}

{{See also|Foxconn and unions}}

Apple manufactures most of its products in China through partners like Foxconn. Apple's decision to outsource its manufacturing has received significant criticism, due to allegations of poor working conditions, long work hours, and other labor rights violations.{{cite web |date=February 24, 2016 |title=Study Casts Doubts on Apple's Ethical Standards |url=https://chinalaborwatch.org/study-casts-doubts-on-apples-ethical-standards/ |work=China Labor Watch}}{{cite web |date=October 22, 2015 |title=Poor Working Conditions Persist at Apple Supplier Pegatron |url=https://hdl.handle.net/1813/102320 |work=China Labor Watch|hdl=1813/102320 }} A total of 18 suicide attempts were recorded at the Foxconn facility in 2010, with 14 attempts resulting in deaths.{{cite news |author=Lau, Mimi |date=December 15, 2010 |title=Struggle for Foxconn girl who wanted to die |url=https://www.scmp.com/article/733389/struggle-foxconn-girl-who-wanted-die |work=South China Morning Post |location=Wuhan, Hubei}}{{cite news |author=Tam, Fiona |date=October 11, 2010 |title=Foxconn factories are labour camps: report |url=https://www.scmp.com/article/727143/foxconn-factories-are-labour-camps-report |work=South China Morning Post}}{{cite news |date=November 5, 2010 |title=Foxconn worker plunges to death at China plant: report |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6A41M920101105 |work=Reuters}} At least one suicide was due to the company's culture of secrecy after the worker lost a prototype. The Guardian reported an audit of Apple's supply chain found two-thirds of its factories did not properly compensate its workers, lacked proper safety and environmental credentials, and several instances of 15-year old workers.{{Cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Bobbie |last2=Francisco |first2=San |date=2010-03-01 |title=Will child labour claims stop you buying Apple? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2010/mar/01/apple-ipod |access-date=2024-06-19 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

Apple, Foxconn and Chinese workers are stakeholders in high-technology production, but relations between the three are perceived by analysts as imbalanced. Apple was able to capture 58.5 percent of the value of the iPhone, despite the fact that the manufacture of the product is entirely outsourced. Particularly notable is that labor costs in China account for the smallest share: 1.8 percent, or nearly US$10, of the US$549 retail price. While both Apple and Foxconn rely on Chinese workers to perform 12-hour working days to meet demand, the costs of Chinese labor in processing and assembly are insignificant in the overall commercial success of Apple. Other major component providers—such as Samsung and LG—captured slightly over 14 percent of the value of the iPhone, while the cost of raw materials was just over one-fifth of the total value (21.9 percent).{{cite journal |last=Chan |first=Jenny |author2=Ngai Pun |author-link2=Mark Selden |author3=Mark Selden |year=2013 |title=The politics of global production: Apple, Foxconn and China's new working class |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ntwe.12008 |journal=New Technology, Work and Employment |volume=28 |issue=2 |pages=104–105 |doi=10.1111/ntwe.12008 |s2cid=154073206}}

In 2020, The Information published "Apple Took Three Years to Cut Ties With Supplier That Used Underage Labor,"{{Cite news |last=Ma |first=Wayne |date=December 21, 2020 |title=Apple Took Three Years to Cut Ties With Supplier That Used Underage Labor |url=https://www.theinformation.com/articles/apple-took-three-years-to-cut-ties-with-supplier-that-used-underage-labor |access-date=June 19, 2024 |work=The Information}} an article which detailed the company's reluctance to sever partnerships in their supply chain, even when they violate its ethics policies using child labor.{{Cite web |last=Sonnemaker |first=Tyler |title=Apple knew a supplier was using child labor but took 3 years to fully cut ties, despite the company's promises to hold itself to the 'highest standards,' report says |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-knowingly-used-child-labor-supplier-3-years-cut-costs-2020-12 |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} Also in 2020, report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute listed Apple as a company that was "potentially directly or indirectly benefiting" from forced Uyghur labor.{{Cite web |last1=Xu |first1=Vicky Xiuzhong |last2=Cave |first2=Danielle |last3=Leiboid |first3=James |last4=Munro |first4=Kelsey |last5=Ruser |first5=Nathan |date=February 2020 |title=Uyghurs for Sale |url=https://www.aspi.org.au/report/uyghurs-sale |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200824215335/https://www.aspi.org.au/report/uyghurs-sale |archive-date=2020-08-24 |access-date=2021-01-20 |website=Australian Strategic Policy Institute |language=en}} In 2020, Apple lobbyists tried to weaken the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, a U.S. bill against forced labor in Xinjiang, China.{{cite news |last1=Albergotti |first1=Reed |date=November 20, 2020 |title=Apple is lobbying against a bill aimed at stopping forced labor in China |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/11/20/apple-uighur/ |newspaper=The Washington Post}}

An Amnesty International report on cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo linked Apple to suppliers using child labor, some children as young as seven in 2016.{{Cite web |last=Toor |first=Amar |date=2016-01-19 |title=Apple and Samsung suppliers linked to child labor in Africa, report says |url=https://www.theverge.com/2016/1/18/10786714/apple-samsung-child-labor-cobalt-congo-amnesty |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=The Verge |language=en}} The following year, The Washington Post reported Apple's intention to stop buying cobalt from the region until conditions were improved.{{Cite news |last=Frankel |first=Todd C. |date=March 3, 2017 |title=Apple cracks down further on cobalt supplier in Congo as child labor persists |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/03/03/apple-cracks-down-further-on-cobalt-supplier-in-congo-as-child-labor-persists/ |access-date=June 19, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} Victims of child labor in the cobalt mines attempted to sue Apple and other technology companies, but were dismissed by the courts on procedural grounds.{{Cite web |title=Apple, Tesla Beat Bid to Revive Cobalt Mine Labor Case (Correct) |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/apple-tesla-beat-bid-to-revive-cobalt-forced-child-labor-case |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=news.bloomberglaw.com |language=en}} In 2023, an investigation into corporate technology supply chains carried out by The Independent found that Apple was among 400 companies associated with the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) to root out child labor and human rights violations. Issues reported ranged from mines burying workers alive—including children—to sexual assault and birth defects caused by exposure to toxins. RMI said that the audits do not include site visits, despite being aware of the conditions at mines. Siddharth Kara, author of Cobalt Red, told The Independent, "there’s not much happening of any merit to assist the people of the Congo in addressing the human rights and environmental violations taking place every day as a consequence of cobalt mining."{{Cite news |last=Boyle |first=Louise |date=2023-02-23 |title=Cobalt mining for Big Tech is driving child labor, deaths in the Congo |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/phone-electric-vehicle-congo-cobalt-mine-b2277665.html |access-date=2024-06-19 |work=The Independent |language=en}} The Congolese government threatened legal action against Apple in 2024,{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Sarah |date=2024-04-29 |title=African nation threatens Apple with legal action over alleged "blood minerals" in its gadgets - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/apple-blood-minerals-africa-drc-threat-legal-action-rwanda-conflict-mining/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=CBS |language=en-US}} later alleging they had evidence linking Apple to conflict areas.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-22 |title=Lawyers representing Congo claim to have new evidence on Apple's use of conflict minerals |url=https://www.mining.com/lawyers-representing-congo-claim-to-have-new-evidence-on-apples-use-of-conflict-minerals/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=MINING.COM |language=en-US}}

In July 2024, Apple released the short commercial film The Underdogs: Out of Office, which promoted Apple products' usage for businesses abroad. The commercial was set and filmed in Bangkok, Thailand. The film is about three employees from a paper box manufacturer, who were told to find their business partner in Thailand. Facing struggles and difficulties, they were able to find their way through with assistance from their Apple devices. The settings of the film depicted their office in the U.S. in cold tone, reflecting modernity, and at the same time, using vintage filters to portray Thailand as underdeveloped third-world state, including settings that does not reflect the country's current state of development, such as the unpleasant look and feel of the airport, the accommodations and the transport modes.{{Cite web |date=31 July 2024 |title=หนังสั้น Apple มองกันในมุมไหน ? โปรโมทเที่ยวเมืองไทย หรือแฝงไว้ในการดูถูก |trans-title=Apple short commercial film perspective: Promoting Thai tourism, or an insult? |url=https://mgronline.com/travel/detail/9670000064555 |access-date=August 2, 2024 |publisher=Manager Online |language=Thai}}

The film received criticism from the Thai public and foreigners, both residences and previous visitors, as "a stereotypical and dated portrayal of Thai society".{{Cite web |title=เมื่อ "Apple" ไม่ทำการบ้าน? "ภาพจำ" ของ "เมืองไทย" จึงไม่เคยเปลียนแปลง |date=August 2024 |trans-title=When Apple didn't do enough research, the stereotypical views of Thailand never changes |url=https://www.posttoday.com/smart-city/711754 |access-date=August 2, 2024 |publisher=Post Today |language=Thai}} On August 2, 2024, Apple apologized and removed access to the film on YouTube.{{Cite web |title=เคลื่อนไหวแล้ว Apple ขออภัย ยุติการเผยแพร่โฆษณา |date=2 August 2024 |trans-title=Apple's response: Apologized and pulled the commercial film |url=https://mgronline.com/cyberbiz/detail/9670000069093 |access-date=August 2, 2024 |publisher=Manager Online |language=Thai}}

Apple's advertising has promoted a perception that its products are more secure than others.{{cite book |last=Viega |first=J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yW6YzQfriSoC |title=The Myths of Security: What the Computer Security Industry Doesn't Want You to Know |publisher=O'Reilly Media, Inc. |year=2009 |isbn=978-0596523022}} It says Apple products are less likely to breached by a hacker or infected by a virus or malware, and others contend this is mainly due to the lack of interest by hackers to attack Apple products.{{cite web |date=May 20, 2009 |title=20 zero-day security holes in Mac OS X to be revealed |url=http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/20/20-zero-day-security-holes-in-mac-os-x-to-be-revealed/ |accessdate=July 9, 2010 |archive-date=January 31, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150131141744/http://www.tuaw.com/2010/03/20/20-zero-day-security-holes-in-mac-os-x-to-be-revealed/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |date=27 August 2009 |title=Apple's Mac OS 'lagging behind Vista on security |url=http://www.silicon.com/technology/security/2009/08/27/apples-mac-os-lagging-behind-vista-on-security-39501473/ |accessdate=July 9, 2010}} A 2006 report by McAfee found a 228% increase of the annual rate of vulnerabilities in Apple's products in 2003–2005, more than three times that of Microsoft's.{{Cite web |last=Gonsalves |first=Antone |title=Security Threats Rising For Apple Macs {{!}} CRN |url=https://www.crn.com/news/security/187200604/security-threats-rising-for-apple-macs |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=www.crn.com}}{{cite web |date=2006 |title=The new Apple of Malware's Eye: Is Mac OS X the next Windows? |url=http://www.mcafee.com/us/local_content/white_papers/threat_center/wp_newappleofmalwareseye_en.pdf |access-date=July 9, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104070805/http://www.mcafee.com/us/local_content/white_papers/threat_center/wp_newappleofmalwareseye_en.pdf |archive-date=January 4, 2010 |url-status=dead}} The public's lack of awareness over the security vulnerabilities of Apple products has created criticism over Apple misleading the public.{{cite web |date=June 17, 2010 |title=Apple is the new hacker bulls-eye |url=http://money.cnn.com/2010/06/17/technology/apple_security/ |accessdate=July 6, 2010}}{{cite web |date=May 26, 2009 |title=It's time for the FTC to investigate Mac security |url=http://www.macworld.com/article/140793/2009/05/macsecurity.html |accessdate=July 9, 2010}} In 2022, hackers exploited a security flaw to take full control of devices including the Mac.{{Cite news |last=Hern |first=Alex |date=2022-08-19 |title=Apple security flaw 'actively exploited' by hackers to fully control devices |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/aug/18/apple-security-flaw-hack-iphone-ipad-macs |access-date=2024-06-19 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} Security experts believe that Apple plays down security concerns,{{Cite web |last=Rosenblatt |first=Seth |date=February 25, 2014 |title=Apple's culture of secrecy delays security response -- again |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/apples-culture-of-secrecy-delays-security-response-again/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=CNET |language=en}} does not pay researchers on par with the industry, and is slow to acknowledge and fix reported security bugs.{{Cite news |last=Albergotti |first=Reed |date=September 9, 2021 |title=Apple pays hackers six figures to find bugs in its software. Then it sits on their findings. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/09/09/apple-bug-bounty/ |access-date=June 19, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}

CNET said Apple's delay to fix security flaws puts users at risk and attributed it to the company's culture of secrecy. In 2011, Apple took nearly three years to fix the vulnerability that led to the exploit of the FinFisher trojan. Apple took six months to update a security flaw in Java, far longer than other companies, drawing sharp criticism by experts and journalists.{{cite web |date=May 20, 2009 |title=Apple lags on Java security fix in OS X |url=http://www.macworld.com/article/140704/2009/05/java_vulnerability.html |accessdate=July 9, 2010}}{{cite web |date=May 20, 2009 |title=Angered by Apple delay, hacker posts Mac Java attack code |url=http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9133350/Angered_by_Apple_delay_hacker_posts_Mac_Java_attack_code |accessdate=July 9, 2010}} It took five months to fix security flaw in Find My, reported by a former Apple security engineer.{{Cite news |last=Lovejoy |first=Ben |date=September 27, 2023 |title=After acrimonious parting, Apple credits former engineer for identifying Find My privacy flaw |url=https://9to5mac.com/2023/09/27/find-my-privacy-flaw/ |access-date=June 19, 2024 |work=9to5Mac}} Apple's AirTag was identified as a stalking vector upon launch in 2021, on a much larger scale than similar products from Tile.{{Cite magazine |last=Cahn |first=Albert Fox |title=Apple's AirTags Are a Gift to Stalkers |url=https://www.wired.com/story/opinion-apples-air-tags-are-a-gift-to-stalkers/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}} In 2024, a judge denied Apple's motion to dismiss a lawsuit on behalf of stalking victims who allege that Apple has not done enough to "diminish the ability of stalkers to use AirTags effectively".{{Cite web |date=2024-03-20 |title=Judge rejects Apple's request to toss out lawsuit over AirTag stalking - CBS News |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/apple-air-tags-stalking-judge-denies-request-to-dismiss-lawsuit/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=CBS news |language=en-US}}

{{Main|Apple's EU tax dispute}}{{See also|Double Irish arrangement|Leprechaun economics}}

File:EU_State_Aid_Case_Ireland_Apple.jpg" BEPS tool]]

Apple has created subsidiaries in low-tax places such as Ireland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and the British Virgin Islands to cut the taxes it pays around the world. According to The New York Times, in the 1980s Apple was among the first tech companies to designate overseas salespeople in high-tax countries in a manner that allowed the company to sell on behalf of low-tax subsidiaries on other continents, sidestepping income taxes. In the late 1980s, Apple was a pioneer of an accounting technique known as the "Double Irish with a Dutch sandwich", which reduces taxes by routing profits through Irish subsidiaries and the Netherlands and then to the Caribbean.{{Cite news |last1=Duhigg |first1=Charles |last2=Kocieniewski |first2=David |date=April 28, 2012 |title=How Apple Sidesteps Billions in Taxes |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/business/apples-tax-strategy-aims-at-low-tax-states-and-nations.html |url-access=limited |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220101/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/29/business/apples-tax-strategy-aims-at-low-tax-states-and-nations.html |archive-date=January 1, 2022 |access-date=April 29, 2012 |newspaper=The New York Times}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite news |last1=Drawbaugh |first1=Kevin |last2=Temple-West |first2=Patrick |title=Untaxed U.S. corporate profits held overseas top $2.1 trillion: study |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-tax-offshore-idUSBREA3729V20140409 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151114065547/http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/09/us-usa-tax-offshore-idUSBREA3729V20140409 |archive-date=November 14, 2015 |access-date=February 11, 2015 |work=Reuters}}; {{Cite web |title=Apple Earnings Call |url=https://www.apple.com/investor/earnings-call |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160501141522/http://www.apple.com/investor/earnings-call/ |archive-date=May 1, 2016 |access-date=April 28, 2016 |publisher=Apple Inc.}}

There is a decade-long dispute between Apple and the European Commission regarding the tax arrangements between Apple and Ireland, which allowed the company to pay close to zero corporate tax over 10 years.{{cite news |last1=Houlder |first1=Vanessa |last2=Barker |first2=Alex |last3=Beesley |first3=Arthur |date=30 August 2016 |title=Apple's EU tax dispute explained |trans-title= |url=https://www.ft.com/content/3e0172a0-6e1b-11e6-9ac1-1055824ca907 |access-date=22 February 2023 |work= |location= |language= |via= |quote=}} In September 2024, The European Court of Justice ruled that Apple must pay $14.3 billion (€13 billion) in back taxes, determining that Ireland's tax breaks to the company were unlawful. This decision reverses a 2020 ruling that favoured Apple and Ireland, covering profits earned by Apple's Dublin units from 1991 to 2014. The unpaid taxes had been placed in an escrow account since 2018.{{Cite news|date=10 September 2024 |title=Top EU court orders Apple to pay €13 billion in back taxes to Ireland |newspaper=TRT WORLD|url=https://www.trtworld.com/asia/armenia-proposes-peace-deal-to-azerbaijan-with-13-of-17-agreed-articles-18202444 |access-date=10 September 2024}}

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