Apple Threatens To Fire Employees For Making Basic IPhone Security Tips Videos On TikTok

Paris Campbell threatened to be fired by Apple. (photo: twitter @stopitparis)

JAKARTA - Apple allegedly threatened to fire an employee who posted a TikTok video with basic iPhone security tips. The employee, Paris Campbell, said she was told she was accused of violating company policy by identifying herself as an Apple employee and posting about Apple-related topics.

Apple's social media policies warn employees against posting about customers, colleagues, or confidential information. But Apple doesn't specifically prohibit employees from posting about technology completely.

"We want you to be who you are, but you must also be respectful in your posts, tweets and other online communications," reads an internal document quoted by The Verge.

Campbell, a single mother living in New York, has worked at Apple for nearly six years, most recently as a repair technician at Apple retail. Last week, he responded to another TikTok user who had lost his iPhone at Coachella, then received a threatening text message saying his personal information would be sold on the black market unless he removed the iPhone from his Apple ID.

"I can't tell you exactly how I came to know this information, but I can tell you that for the last six years, I've been a certified hardware engineer for a certain company that loves to talk about fruit," Campbell said in the response video, before warning the user not to listen to the blackmailer's threats. "Your cell phone is actually of no use to them, and you're the only person who can save them, and I suggest you don't."

The video went viral, generating 5 million views in about 24 hours. On Friday, August 12, Campbell received a call from a manager, asking him to remove the video or he would be subject to disciplinary action "up to and including termination of employment."

When he asked what would have happened if he had let the video remain, he said that the manager had returned the original comment and said he would reply.

Over the weekend, Campbell posted a second video titled "Dear Apple," in which he revealed he was an Apple employee and said he was waiting to hear if he would be fired.

"I never really identified myself as an Apple employee until this video," he said. “The funny thing is, after reviewing social media policies...no one said I couldn't identify myself as an Apple employee publicly, just that I shouldn't do it in a way that made the company look bad. ”

Campbell, who has been a stand-up comedian since 2011, has a significant social media following, including 439,000 followers on TikTok.

The popularity of his post may not be enough to stop him from being fired. Last year, Apple fired two high-profile activists for allegedly sharing classified information. But Campbell said the video does not contain any information that is not yet publicly available.

"I found Apple's response to be in direct contrast to how we describe ourselves as a company in terms of telling people to think differently, innovate, and come up with creative solutions," he said in an interview with The Verge.

“Not only do I have all this Apple knowledge because I work for Apple. I came to this knowledge because I have technical education and a long history. That's why they hired me," he said.

While Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Verge, on the report.