Apple and Google urged to remove Saudi app that tracks women

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Human rights defenders are calling on Apple (AAPL) and Google (GOOGL) to remove the Saudi government app Absher from its platforms, saying that it allows Saudi men to track women under their sponsorship.Image result for apple and google
In a letter addressed to Apple's CEO Tim Cook and Google's CEO Sundar Pichai Monday, the top Democrat on the US Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, asked the tech giants to prevent their technical infrastructure and app stores from being used for enabling "abhorrent surveillance and control of women."
The Absher mobile app -- first available on iOS devices in 2015 and to Android devices in 2016 -- is a Saudi government e-portal where users can access an array of government services related to Hajj, visa, National ID, traffic violations, and health insurance among others, according to the Saudi Ministry of Interior.
    Among those services is a feature for male guardians to decide whether their dependents can travel abroad and the parameters around their travel plans.
    Under Saudi Arabia's restrictive guardianship laws, women cannot travel without permission from their male guardians. Critics argue that the Absher app is a technological extension of the repressive rules that restrict many aspects of everyday life for the country's female population. 
    "It is hardly news that the Saudi monarchy seeks to restrict and repress Saudi women, but American companies should not enable to facilitate the Saudi government's patriarchy," Wyden said in his letter.
    "By permitting the app in your respective stores, your companies are making it easier for Saudi men to control their family members from the convenience of their smartphones and restrict their movements. This flies in the face of the type of society you both claim to support and defend," he said.
    When asked about the fact that the Absher app lets Saudi men control the movements of their dependents, Cook told National Public Radio on Monday: "I haven't heard about it. But obviously we'll take a look at it if that's the case."
    Apple has not responded to CNN's request for comment.
    Google told CNN they were "looking into it," but did not have anything further to share at the moment.
    Amnesty International has also called on Apple and Google to "assess the risk of human rights abuses on women which is facilitated by the App and mitigate the harm that the App has on women."

    Maoni

    1. T21 Mei 2026, 12:42

      Sikuwahi kuamini kitu kama hiki kingeweza kunitokea hadi ndoa yangu ilipokaribia kuisha kabisa.

      Mume wangu alibadilika ghafla. Mwanaume ambaye hapo awali alinipenda na kunijali akawa baridi, asiyejali, na mwenye hasira bila sababu. Aliacha kuonyesha nia katika ndoa yetu, akaniepuka kabisa, na hatimaye akaniomba talaka. Nilivunjika moyo kwa sababu nilimpenda mume wangu kwa moyo wangu wote.
      Mambo yalizidi kuwa mabaya aliponizuia kila mahali — WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram — kana kwamba sijawahi kuwepo. Nililia kila usiku nikijiuliza nilifanya nini kibaya.
      Siku moja, rafiki wa karibu alinitembelea na kunitambulisha kwa mtu wa kiroho anayeitwa Dkt. Dawn. Kwa kweli, mwanzoni nilikuwa na shaka, lakini niliamua kumweleza kila kitu kwa sababu sikuwa na chochote cha kupoteza.

      Dkt. Dawn alinisomea mambo ya kiroho, na nilishtuka. Alifichua siri kuhusu ndoa yangu na maisha yangu binafsi ambayo hakuna mtu aliyejua. Kila kitu alichosema kilikuwa sahihi 100%. Kisha akafichua kwamba mwanamke mwingine alikuwa amemloga mume wangu. Mwanamke huyu alikuwa akimtembelea mara nyingi, na kwa upumbavu niliamini ilikuwa kuhusu kazi tu.
      Dkt. Dawn alinisaidia kuvunja uchawi na akafanya ibada yenye nguvu ya kurejesha upendo kwa ndoa yangu.
      Kwa mshangao wangu mkubwa, muda mfupi tu baadaye, mume wangu alinifungulia kizuizi mwenyewe na kuanza kunipigia simu na kunitumia ujumbe mwingi, akiniomba nimsamehe na nirudi nyumbani. Mwanzoni nilimpuuza kwa sababu ya maumivu aliyonisababishia, lakini hatimaye alirudi nyumbani akiwa na zawadi na machozi machoni mwake akiomba nafasi nyingine.
      Leo, ndoa yetu ni imara zaidi, yenye furaha zaidi, na yenye amani zaidi kuliko hapo awali. Mapenzi kati yetu yanahisi upya kabisa.
      Kana kwamba hiyo haitoshi, Dkt. Dawn baadaye alinisaidia na ibada ya ujauzito kwa sababu tulikuwa tumejitahidi kwa miaka mingi kupata watoto. Ndani ya wiki 8, nilipata mimba kiasili, na leo tumebarikiwa na wavulana wawili wazuri wenye afya njema.
      Nitaendelea kushukuru milele.
      Ukihitaji: Uchawi wa mapenzi wa kuungana tena na mpenzi wako wa zamani
      . Usaidizi wa kurejesha ndoa
      . Tamaduni za ujauzito za kupata mimba
      . Usaidizi wa kiroho kwa kesi za mahakamani au kupona urithi
      . Mwongozo na ulinzi wa kiroho
      Ninapendekeza sana Dkt. Dawn. Ushuhuda wangu ni wa kweli, na furaha yangu leo ni uthibitisho. WhatsApp yake: +2349046229159. dawnacuna314@gmail.com

      JibuFuta

    Chapisha Maoni

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