Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday sided with Twitter CEO Elon Musk in taking some needed shots at Apple over its failure to support free speech.
“There [are] reports that Apple is not allowing the protesters to use this AirDrop function where they’re trying to communicate. That obviously is providing aid and comfort to the [Chinese Communist Party],” DeSantis said at an event in Jacksonville, Florida.
Apple changed the AirDrop file-sharing function for the iPhone in mainland China as widespread protests over the communist government’s “zero COVID” strategy spread. Protesters were using the function to share files — including leaflets and slogans — between phones without having to rely on the internet, which the government controls.
DeSantis continued, “You also hear reports that Apple is threatening to remove Twitter from the App Store because Elon Musk is actually opening it up for free speech and is restoring a lot of accounts that were unfairly and illegitimately suspended for putting out accurate information about COVID.”
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) November 29, 2022
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The governor stated that the old, pre-Musk regime sought to “suffocate” dissent on Twitter, particularly regarding COVID-related information.
DeSantis argued if Apple responds to Musk allowing more speech on Twitter by pulling the platform from the App Store, “that would be a huge, huge mistake.”
“It would be a really raw exercise of monopolistic power that I think would merit a response from the United States Congress,” the Republican said.
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“Don’t be a vassal of the CCP on one hand and then use your corporate power in the United States on the other to suffocate Americans and try to suppress their right to express themselves,” DeSantis said.
Musk tweeted Monday, “Apple has also threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won’t tell us why.”
…Apple has also threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won’t tell us why
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 28, 2022
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