[LINK] Apple is turning into the evil empire

[Ivan Trundle]

On 09/03/2011, at 3:17 PM, Roger Clarke wrote:
>> 
>> I'd venture to say that most people don't care about what they are 
>> consenting to - and even fewer read the fine print.
> 
> Which is "tragic and frightening".

I respectfully disagree: for me, a "tragedy" is something which generates extreme distress and/or disruption, such as an earthquake or flood, or a death.

"Frightening" is something that I reserve for something more than having my personal details stored.

Emotive words such as this do not further the cause of consumer protection (which I wholeheartedly support).

And to get back to the original thread, in all the time that I've had an iTunes account (which is since it was possible to buy music from their store), I've yet to have Apple abuse my rights or to breach my trust: at least as far as I know.

I can think of companies in Australia that I've dealt with in recent times who do this often. Even today, I had spam in both my in-box and SMS phone account from a company which provided me with quotes for a solar system: and no obvious recourse to have my name removed (no simple opt-out, in contravention of applicable anti-spam laws). I also had a fax today from an Australian company that I've never done business with (though they did offer the option of opting out).

If anything, I regard Apple as a very decent corporate citizen, insofar as my consumer rights are concerned.

iT

> 
> And hence consumer advocates spend a great deal of time fighting to 
> achieve reasonable terms.
> 
> And hence (some) consumer protection laws exist.
> 
> Which business continually works very hard to wind back (in recent 
> years with far too much success, as brown-nosed Australian 
> governments have adopted US 'corporate laissez-faire' extremism).
> 
> 
> -- 
> Roger Clarke                                 http://www.rogerclarke.com/
> 
> Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
>                    Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916
> mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au                http://www.xamax.com.au/
> 
> Visiting Professor in the Cyberspace Law & Policy Centre      Uni of NSW
> Visiting Professor in Computer Science    Australian National University
> _______________________________________________
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> Link at mailman.anu.edu.au
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--
Ivan Trundle
http://itrundle.com ivan at itrundle.com ph 0418 244 259