Lady Gaga’s Pro-Gay Marriage Tweets Too Hot for Apple’s New Music Service [Censorship]
![160x120 how lady gaga helped leak 150 000 classified state department cables Lady Gagas Pro Gay Marriage Tweets Too Hot for Apples New Music Service [Censorship]](http://cache-02.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/7/2010/09/160x120_how_lady_gaga_helped_leak_150_000_classified_state_department_cables.jpg "Lady Gagas Pro Gay Marriage Tweets Too Hot for Apples New Music Service [Censorship]")
Apple is notoriously squeamish about gay-themed iPhone apps. This ambivalence seems to have made the jump to Ping, The music social network Apple announced today. In a promo screenshot, they censored Lady Gaga’s tweets celebrating the demise of Prop 8. More »
View full post on Gawker: valleywag
![500x100 Lady Gagas Pro Gay Marriage Tweets Too Hot for Apples New Music Service [Censorship]](http://www.femalestars.com/img/rsid-1132690/500x100.gif "Lady Gagas Pro Gay Marriage Tweets Too Hot for Apples New Music Service [Censorship]")
@sqlrob: Maybe, but I think not showing it at all is safer.
Arken
@Robobenito: It’s not as if the company itself isn’t gay-friendly, and in a confrontation between the American Family Association and Apple, who’s gonna win? That’s right, Cupertino.
HydrocephRevenant
@Abraham Esau: I should have phrased it better. I meant to compare Apple to Jordan, not Gaga.
Also, no way Gaga throws up 38 on the road while battling the flu.
johnny_carsick
Apple staying apolitical is simply a marketing strategy. I don’t understand the fuss. How does Lady Gaga even have 93,000+ followers when the service isn’t even available yet? It’s simply there to demonstrate. There are some people that will complain b/c they featured Lady Gaga.
McWeary
@Arken: Wouldn’t neutral be a comment on the page “Apple does not endorse any political position of this entertainer” rather than actually removing stuff?
sqlrob
@Pogg: There’s plenty to warrant your loathing.
anchower
So Lady Gaga walks into a bar…
[blogs.citypages.com]
oh no i di’n't
Can we just stop placating homophobes once and for all? Be a brave corporation, take a stand, quit verifying hatred for a dollar (even if abstractly, by censoring things to sell bullshit electro-toys to the consuming hill-Williams). Maybe if we all start treating homophobes like the backward minority they are we wouldn’t have to worry about tip-toeing around them. Come on Apple, the times they are a changin’!
Robobenito
Whoever let “strip club” through is looking for a new job now.
anchower
I never thought I would have to defend Lady Gaga, but what Apple did was some bullshit. Business is business, but cowardice is also cowardice.
AraRichards
Is this a shot taken from Apple or actually from her iTunes Ping page? Also, I do remember Apple giving 100k to help fight Prop 8 but BOY anything to rip Apple a new one! You guys sound like Fox News talking about Obama. Bitter.
JustStart
Neatrality could be maintained by leaving other people’s comments alone. Censorship implies a position – a negative one.
PatricianAtlantan
This doesn’t even make sense though. According to a quick google search, Apple made a pretty big donation to the anti-Prop 8 side two years ago. Did they backtrack on that?
major disaster
Just checked and iTunes store sells Elephant Man albums. Turns out political statements about gays are A-OK with Apple so long as the cleansing wind of commerce kisses them. And the statements are of the “kill all the” variety.
John Thompson in: Are You There God? It’s Me, Danzig
Steve Jobs wants to censor the music industry’s tweets? Their music is manageable, maybe, but their tweets? Good luck.
SAfiftyseven
@Arken: Well, I think “neutral” might be giving them too much credit. But I see your point.
herbie
So uhh, has anyone been able to download iTunes 10 yet?
PACKFAN4LIFE
the apple backlash continues. totally self inflicted too. lame.
Foil_Pants
Apple’s censorship policies are getting more ridiculous by the day. How are they going to involve all these musicians in their social network if they censor what they say?
Has Steve Jobs seen how many songs on itunes are labelled as ‘explicit’?
BellaBellini
@johnny_carsick: Not exactly.
She’s the opposite of Jordan in this case (she has principles). The other difference: she’s not that talented but a better performer than Jordan.
Abraham Esau
@rayne117 -:
CommodoreRake
@herbie: I just can’t blame any corporation in this country for being politically neutral on this issue. It’s just too big a risk.
Arken
@Arken: I see your point, but I wonder, given that Apple tends to appeal more to creatives and younger folks, if a TP/Mormon/whateverbigot boycott would really make a difference to sales? But maybe it could be a shareholder issue, now that I think about it. Hmm.
herbie
@rayne117 -: How is removing references to it being against it? Maybe if they didn’t remove anti-prop 8 stuff, you would have a point, but I have seen no evidence of that. Apple clearly wants to remain neutral on this issue considering what happened with Target and I really don’t blame them for that. I wish these companies could take a stand and I guarantee you that Apple, being based near San Francisco and having excellent domestic partner benefits, is on the pro-marriage side, but it is just too big a risk.
Arken
@CommodoreRake: I hate die-hard fans of anything. Even die-hards that hate die-hards.
Like you, and me.
rayne117 -
It’s like when Michael Jordan quipped that Republicans buy sneakers, too.
True, but it doesn’t make you any less of an asshole.
johnny_carsick
Steve Jobs is a ridiculous person.
Chance Hamlin
As if I needed another reason to not buy Apple products.
Back in Nom Nom Nom
@Arken: So instead they just outright censor it.
Apple has now, whether they like it or not (and they love it) have chosen their side on gay marriage.
They are against it.
rayne117 -
Is this why iTunes 10 isn’t available despite the links all over their site and Steve’s assurance that it will be available today? This is crap.
MadEye