Photo: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images
Yesterday, Tim Cook received the “Courage Against Hate” award from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Just a little over four years ago, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook came out as a gay man. He did itl not for himself, for validation, or for honesty. Those around him had known he was gay for years. Techies and reporters have known for years as well. However, Cook wasn’t content with that. He decided to come out to set an example for LGBTQ+ youth. The CEO of Apple, one of the most valuable companies in the world, is gay, there is no limit to what you can achieve.
“So if hearing that the CEO of Apple is gay can help someone struggling to come to terms with who he or she is, or bring comfort to anyone who feels alone, or inspire people to insist on their equality, then it’s worth the trade-off with my own privacy.”
– Tim Cook, CEO of Apple
The ADL rewarded Tim Cook for his bravery in coming forward, but also for Apple’s strong stance on diversity. Apple is a company that values creativity, innovation, and learning. A diverse workplace is perfect for that.
Tim Cook’s speech called out hateful white supremacists and conspiracy theorists like Alex Jones. Apple is a place for diversity, inclusion, and free speech, and none of that can exist in a place that permits hate speech.
Tim Cook’s Statement
“At Apple, we believe technology needs to have a clear point of view. This is no time to get tied up in knots. We only have one message for those who seek to push hate, division, or violence: You have no place on our platforms. You have no home here. From the earliest days of iTunes to Apple Music today we have always prohibited music with a history of white supremacy. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do. And as we showed this year, we won’t give a platform to violent conspiracy theorists. Why? Because it’s the right things to do.”
Cook pointed out that Apple’s policies against hate speech are not new. iTunes has never allowed music with white nationalist roots. Recently, they also banned Alex Jones’ Infowars from the App Store and Podcasts. The conspiracy site lead to attempted mass shootings and called for acts of violence. People like that, Cook says, have no home at Apple.
Hate Speech Squashes Free Speech
Tim Cook. Photo: Ashley Gilbertson/Bloomberg Businessweek
Hate speech limits our discussion. It makes free discourse about identity, rather than ideas, facts, or logic. It is argument ad hominem, a logical fallacy that prohibits free discussion.Hate speech squashes rational discussion, making any real discourse impossible.
Furthermore, hate speech dehumanizes groups with language made to incite hatred and violence. This pushes people who are targets of that hate speech, violence, or threats off a platform. It squashes their right to free speech before they get a chance to open their mouths. As such, censorship of hate speech increases diversity of thought, and allows people free discussion. Hate speech censorship isn’t ideological censorship. It’s shutting down dehumanizing language before it has a chance to shut down free speech.
Apple’s Stance
Tim Cook is right to lead Apple against hate speech and divisive language. When we can communicate with each other, without attacking each other, we can move forward. There is no place for white nationalist, homophobic, transphobic, Islamophobic, or racist xenophobic discussions anywhere where humanity gathers. Hate speech seeks to dehumanize, and that’s exactly what it does, but not just for its victims, but for all of those who engage in it. Tim Cook is right to keep that garbage off of Apple’s platforms, and other social networks should take a similarly strong stance. We’d all be better off for it.
Source: Julia Alexander, The Verge