Thread by @dhh

"As Apple faces down hearings in Congress and lawsuits in court, its argument that it needs to maintain total control over the iPhone app ecosystem to keep users safe doesn’t mesh with the obvious examples of grift that anyone can easily find." 🎯☠️ theverge.com/2021/4/21/2238…

I've seen some ugly sides of Apple over the past year in particular, but this is both the ugliest AND most befuddling?! When you're staking your entire justification of a billion-dollar app tax on keeping a "safe & secure" store, why would you let yourself get embarrassed so?

Most security theaters at least PRETEND to act accordingly with the stakes. Apple's gross negligence with the safety & security of the App Store is costing consumers millions, and the company just stonewalls any journalists who asks questions about it.

Later today, Apple is literally going to trot their compliance officer in front of @SenAmyKlobuchar, @SenMikeLee, and the rest of the Senate committee to repeat the lie that "we need the money to run a safe store". It's embarrassing and terrible politics!

Apple is at the height of its hybris at this very moment regarding the App Store monopoly squeeze. They clearly believe they're totally invincible to the facts, to questions from journalists, and to accountability from elected officials. It's a radioactive stance.

This is how all great empires fall. When their wealth and their power lulls them into thinking that they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, with zero risk of consequences. Apple is about to get a history lesson of epic proportions.

Just the sheer fact that Apple is AN ACCOMPLISH to these scams should be scaring the bejesus out of their risk managers. They've collected millions in fraudulent fees from approving scam apps that use their payment processing system to rob people. (Do Apple have risk managers?)

Again, it's astounding just how blind such absolute power as Apple holds can render you to the most obvious set of devasting facts. Apple has had YEARS of warnings to correct their gross negligence, but spent that time counting billions in app-tax loot instead of acting.