U.S. Republican congress members admonish Apple for censoring songs in China that reference Tiananmen massacre, democracy

“Members of Congress are criticizing Apple for censoring its music to comply with the Chinese government,” Shannon Liao reports for The Verge. “Apple Music’s China service recently removed several Hong Kong singers from its platform, as reported by the Hong Kong Free Press.”
“‘It’s disgraceful to see one of America’s most innovative, influential tech companies support the Communist Chinese government’s aggressive censorship efforts within China as we near the Tiananmen Square Massacre’s 30th anniversary,’ Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) tells The Verge,” Liao reports. “Two of the censored singers, Denise Ho and Anthony Wong, are pro-democracy activists. The other singer, Jacky Cheung, released a song written by James Wong, who had confirmed that the lyrics referred to the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.”
“Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) admonished Apple on Wednesday for not taking the chance to ‘be a stronger voice for freedom around the globe.’ She also retweeted comments from an executive director at a human rights group that remembers the victims of communist regimes,” Liao reports. “‘Just the latest example of an American tech company choosing to be complicit in the Chinese Communist Party’s high-tech totalitarian state,’ the tweet read.”
“‘This news is extremely troubling. When reports like this surface we need to ask serious questions to ensure human rights are being protected, and if these reports are true, Apple owes the public an explanation,’ Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) said in a statement,” Liao reports. “‘American citizens value the First Amendment and the ability to speak freely – even on controversial topics,’ Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH) told The Verge today, ‘It’s deeply concerning that Apple, according to recent reports, would acquiesce to demands made by Chinese officials to censor pro-democracy music. We should expect better from these companies, and Apple should address these claims.'”
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The Tiananmen Square/June Fourth Incident, 1989
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Apple Music censors songs in China that reference Tiananmen massacre, democracy – April 9, 2019