"I think his heart is in the right place and as much as a corporation can, Apple generally does the right thing."
Don't assume moral disposition when a CEO is talking his book.
Maybe Tim is really a good person, who knows?
But if Tim were the CEO of Facebook he'd be singing a different tune.
Don't underestimate the ability of CEO's to align their personal views with that of he company.
Apple is sensing blood in the water on Google and Facebook, and this is a smart, basic PR move to go on the offensive against those companies.
Now - I do think it's likely that Cook does actually believe what he is saying - so I'm not fully calling him a hypocrite or anything. But he is a business guy, and were he to be the head of a company for whom this angle would not apply, I suggest strongly he'd have a different story to tell.
When businessmen speak, it's mostly 'just business'. I don't mean that cynically, just pragmatically.
I agree with you, but is it not better that the "talking head" follow the company line rather than their own moral compass? IOW, whether the CEO believes it or not, the company's moral compass says "we're all about privacy for the time being" and the CEO speaks as appropriate to that topic. But if it's the CEO using their personal moral compass, well, that could change with the next CEO. Additionally, the CEO might say one thing, but have a board fight them tooth and nail over it.
Don't assume moral disposition when a CEO is talking his book.
Maybe Tim is really a good person, who knows?
But if Tim were the CEO of Facebook he'd be singing a different tune.
Don't underestimate the ability of CEO's to align their personal views with that of he company.
Apple is sensing blood in the water on Google and Facebook, and this is a smart, basic PR move to go on the offensive against those companies.
Now - I do think it's likely that Cook does actually believe what he is saying - so I'm not fully calling him a hypocrite or anything. But he is a business guy, and were he to be the head of a company for whom this angle would not apply, I suggest strongly he'd have a different story to tell.
When businessmen speak, it's mostly 'just business'. I don't mean that cynically, just pragmatically.