this post was submitted on 06 Oct 2023
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Apple threatens Colombian mobile phone repairman with jail time::While many people are keeping an eye on Apple's launches and the arrival of the iPhone 15 in September, a mobile phone and technology repairer has become the centre of attenti

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[–] [email protected] 111 points 11 months ago (2 children)

What a sensationalized headline (and not the first one I read on the topic).

Apple didn't send lawyers to prevent his company repairing devices, but because the company uses Apple trademarks in their marketing material which then could confuse customers into believing this is an official Apple service partner.

It's pretty standard brand/trademark protection going on, and as far as I know you actually have to protect your trademarks to a certain extent.

This stuff is happening a lot, and this time news outlets chose to make it seem like Tim Cook himself wants this man in prison.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

From the article

which includes the name of the company and its products, logos and images of technological equipment, as well as direct mentions of them in advertising pieces,

This makes it sound like he shouldn't even use the name of the products, which would be ridiculous. How do you advertise iPhone repair if you cannot use the term iPhone, or pictures of the specific models?

The article doesn't link to any of the materials, so I can't say whether they are actually misleading (using Apple's name and logo could be easily avoided) or not.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 11 months ago (2 children)

And this gives them the right to ruin someone's life? Come now, anything more than a small-ish fine is unreasonable.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 11 months ago

How are they ruining his life? They literally just sent a cease and decist telling him he can't use their trademarks

[–] [email protected] 0 points 11 months ago

It really depends on the severity of the infringement and whether it continues after being told to stop.

[–] [email protected] 29 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Because a corporation can arrest, convict, and jail someone...

I think someone might be putting a little too much stock in a cease and desist letter

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I think you might be making too many assumptions about the Colombian legal system.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

So those things are legal there? Ok

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

No, what I'm saying is that a quick Google suggests you can get jail time for this in Colombia even if Apple is the one suing. Obviously I'm not an expert, but my point is that Apple's threat of possible jail time is not completely unfounded, you can't assume it just works like the US legal system.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I'm not an expert,

..."but I'm going to argue about the foreign legal system I know nothing about."

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago

At least I attempted to looked it up, rather than everyone else who assumed it just can't happen at all while also knowing nothing about it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

They are not but who cares nothing is going to happened. It took them a while to kill Pablo Escobar now they are going to get this small guy? Lol

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I hear apple jail isn't that bad, though the wait times leave a bit to be desired.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

The iRamen can be expensive too

[–] [email protected] 0 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Hopefully this works out in favor of him. Hate to see corpos trying to fuck people just because they do million times better and sometimes cheaper work than them.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 11 months ago

RTFA, not just the headline