But of the large tech companies, who else is calling for US data privacy laws?

I think it's great Apple/Tim-Cook is doing this, honestly.

I have a particular problem though in the way politics is playing out in the tech world. Technology enthusiasts basically sit in wait for a corporation to step up and echo their views.

We sit and piss and moan when a corporation lobbies Washington to do something we deem harmful or greedy or evil - like end net neutrality.

But then when a company like Apple is on the right side of a subject - we praise them. Their good will and good nature becomes part of the brand, part of their PR.

When in reality - they're greedy too. Privacy laws (good) may very well protect you and me, but they harm Apple's competitors. It's a win win for Apple. Harm the competition and score good guy points in the eyes of the public.

All the while they continue to be scummy as shit when it comes to people trying to repair Apple products themselves - or on the cheap through a non-Apple service center.

They're scummy as shit with their walled garden app stores.

They're scummy as shit when they take a 30% cut from app makers on content sold through apps, only available through their app store.

It's like cheering on Google or Facebook for opposing net neutrality.

We've become so entrenched in the very core idea that corporations control our government, we now ROOT FOR THEM to control it in ways we see fit.

Rather than believing in our power as people to advocate, educate, protest and solve the problem ourselves at the ballot box.

It's a dangerous cyberpunk mentality.