Apple, Against Abortion and Sexuality?

When Apple introduced the iPhone 4 S, its latest mobile phone model, the world was stunned by the arrival of Siri. It is a system that allows the user to perform various activities through advanced voice recognition. Through verbal commands, you can make calls, send emails, send messages, schedule appointments, record reminders, locate places, among other tasks. A great addition, but for now only works in English, French and German, so that its adoption in Spanish speaking countries is limited.

Siri was one of the main innovations introduced this year by Apple for its latest …

However, in recent days Syria has been under fire in U.S. due to allegations of Action League National Abortion and Reproductive Rights (NARAL). According to Nancy Keenan, president of the association, Siri is not able to provide users with complete or reliable information on abortion clinics. 

Keenan has written directly to Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, to answer for these irregularities. The company replied that, as Siri is a trial version software (beta) is an error and not intentional censorship. The president of NARAL has also questioned appear pregnant support centers in search, Apple responded to what they do not control the databases in which Siri supported.

It is not the first time that Apple is considered conservative on issues related to sexuality. In June 2010, Steve Jobs, then CEO of the company, Apple closed the doors of the adult entertainment industry. “People who want to watch porn can buy an Android phone”, he responded by mail to a user input suggesting such applications on the iPhone.

Also in Beta: The obsession with QR codes

The blockade was so fussy that days later, a graphic adaptation of the novel ‘Ulysses’ by James Joyce was removed from the online store by having naked bullets. While applications such as Playboy or special swimsuits for Sports Illustrated had cleared customs, Apple asked Robert Berry, illustrator of the novel, to withdraw the erotic scenes. After weeks of confrontation between the artist and the company, a watered down version of Ulysses managed to be published in the App Store.

Stock Image showing the iPhone 4s, manufactured by U.S. giant …

A similar situation arose in March 2011, when Apple approved an application that supposedly “cure homosexuality”. Many LGBT organizations and other civil society members orchestrated a protest petition which came to collect more than 150 000 signatures in just 48 hours. After two days of intense pressure, Apple removed the program from the store. To compensate for his public image, the following month, the company joined the initiative: “It gets better,” an advertising campaign which Apple employees sent messages of support to young people who suffer discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Can consider the case of Siri abortion clinics as a sign of conservatism on the part of Apple? I think not. Tim Cook’s answer, though ambiguous, it makes sense. Siri is based on external databases, which are not necessarily in control of Apple. In addition, however, argue that Syria is a test version of software sounds like an easy excuse. It is likely that, in search of a “neutrality result” Siri algorithms have been programmed to display the most politically correct places.

However, rather than a blockade decreed by Apple, it seems to me an omission of their creators. Bouie Jamell whereas Syria shows that Apple is not necessarily sexist, but that it demonstrates a “blind spot” in the software development. From their perspective, the issue of reproductive health could elude a predominantly male group of programmers.

“It is clear that [Apple] is a place where women are perceived as the default consumer,” said Bouie. That may be the reason why Siri itself can provide information on where to get strippers, but not abortion clinics. So maybe it was not moral or bigotry to blame for this omission, but the lack of a feminist perspective in the design of Siri, a look that, to date, it is essential for the development of any technology product. Be seen whether, as promised Cook, Siri get rid of this bias in their next versions.