Tim Cook receives award for “Courage Against Hate” and reaffirms Apple's commitment

As expected, the CEO of Ma, Tim Cook, yesterday received the Coragem Contra do dio award (the first in this category) for Anti-Defamation League (ADL), during the summit Never Is Now Summit on Anti-Semitism and Hate, in New York.

In his speech, Cook took a stand against hate, violence and segregation, reaffirming Apple's commitment to creating platforms "free of people who drive these ideas".

At Apple, we believe that technology needs to have a clear point of view. It's not time to tie yourself in knots. We only have a message for those looking to push hate, segregation or violence: you have no place on our platforms.

In this sense, the CEO of ADL, Jonathan Greenblatt, specifically mentioned the removal of the program InfoWars, produced by American presenter Alex Jones, noting that Apple's decision to ban content has led to its removal from other platforms, such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.

Although Cook has already stated that Apple did not agree with any other technology company to remove Jones content, he argued, during the award, that Apple has always banned content with stories of white supremacy.

From the early days of iTunes to today, with Apple Music, we always ban music with stories of white supremacy. Why? Because the right thing to do. And, as we have shown this year, we do not give a platform to violent conspiracy theorists. Why? Because it's the right things to do.

Finally, Cook pointed out that although Apple is a technology company, its employees "never forget" that the devices they design are "imagined by human minds, built by human hands and for better human lives".

I care less about computers that think like people and more about people who think like computers. The technology must be about human potential. It must be optimism. We believe that the future must belong to those who see technology as a way to build a more inclusive and hopeful world.

Check out this video for Cook's speech in full (from 11’30 ”).

via The Verge