@parisba did you use Apple Passwords app and were you able to access it while your account was suspended?

@parisba @siracusa This is scary, could happen to any of us normal people and we’d have no recourse whatsoever!

@parisba
It's your own fault if you only bought digital content from Apple (or Amazon) and therefore have absolutely no rights to it.

#Apple #ID
@oliver

@parisba I posted it to my circles on bsky as well. That is all I can do.

@parisba I'm sorry for what you're going through.

This is not unique to Apple though, it happens also with Google Play as gift cards are massively used for all sorts of scams, frauds, and money laundering. I wouldn't redeem a gift card with a pole, even if bought from a reputable business.

@parisba

macOS doesn't fail, except when it fails badly, as in your case.

And actually macOS does fail often.

Linux users: don't fall into the song of the siren. Whatever goes wrong with Linux, very often it does with macOS too. I can say this as a person who used Linux for 30 years and macOS for 5 years, and is currently using macOS.

@parisba @evan
@EUCommission

See?

@parisba Shit! I can't offer any practical advice, but I hope this all works out for you! 🤞

@parisba : Holy shit. Sending you so much love right now. ❤️

@parisba
Honestly, it should be illegal that they are even allowed to do this. Absolutely unethical business practice here.

@parisba
I checked out at the point where you expect a special solution for your special case and don't realise you spent 30 years supporting extortionists that target everyone. On a personal level i feel your pain, politically this is a disaster of a post.

@parisba I’m really sorry this happened to you. And it could happen to any of us.

This won’t help now, but your story makes me glad I’m in the process of switching to self hosting with https://immich.app/ and similar. Investing in physical media for movies.

It’s harder, I have to stress about uptime, data replication and backups myself, but once it’s done I will never be beholden to Apple’s shenanigans.

@parisba

I am sorry you learned it the hard way but

You got stuff for about 30000NZD (about 15000€ i assume)
Thats stuff for your work
You do not have a local backup
You do not have a system for local backup

Really?

I hope you get your account back and learned from this.

@parisba I hope you get a decent outcome on this. This sounds a complete nightmare.

Have you tried contacting the ACCC? They will fine apple just for opening an investigation. Definitely keep calling them too and let them know you are talking with the ACCC and relevant ombudsman. I'll be thinking about you, this is a nightmare.

@parisba Call up whomever represents you in govt. They have regulatory power over companies, and it's quite likely that Apple will take their calls.

After that, no matter how this pans out, never trust any big company that much ever again. They don't care about you, and never will.

@parisba the post reminds me, Doctorow's "Walkaway" is the next on my reading list.

@parisba Not a criticism or victim-blaming, genuinely curious why you had a $500 card in the first place?

@parisba

This is the system, it's what capitalism has always done and can continue to do with impunity because people play by the rules that capitalists set, disregard and change as it suits them.

Forget the American dream, the anti-socialist propaganda, and smell the coffee.

We can change this, but only by building alternatives and not playing their game. Their rules. If we do that we will automatically lose.

Fuck Apple, Fuck capitalism.

@parisba that’s terrible mate / something that also intermittently worries me, being similarly deep in Apple ecosystem for life, family & dev work. Hope the attention gets it resolved soon for you. Your story reminds me I need to continue automating my off-cloud Apple backups…

(fellow Tasmanian?)

@parisba judging by the id.au address for your email address, you might have access to Australian consumer law via your state consumer regulatory body.

As far as you're concerned, they stole money off you. Most bodies will help you out, but you'd need to take them to the consumer administration tribunal in your state. They'll have to prepare a case, which might be enough to trigger a review

@parisba

There's good reason that Steve Wozniak left the company decades ago.

@parisba writes "20 years of digital life gone in an instant thanks to Apple".

I am seriously considering going back to Linux, not because of the above post, but the above post is a further incentive.

The only reason I moved to Mac is that its CPU's are so fast and my university offered this in 2021.

Perversely, my university doesn't offer Linux as a possibility any more.

In any case, I use my Mac as a Linux computer anyway. Homebrew for GNU tools, work from terminal, Firefox (oops, not the same as before), etc.

I don't think I use any Mac app other than Finder (because I have to) or Settings. Not even Viewer do I use for reading PDF's.

So why am I still using a Mac? I want to go back to Linux. I still do have a Linux computer I use as a server, and I love it every time I have to use it.

Sigh.

@parisba This another big reason why I can't stand those walled gardens. If you get kicked out, all the stuff you left inside is just gone. Just like that, in an instant, all gone. Corporations shouldn't have the ability to do this to people but we give it to them.

If you ever get your account back, this is a wakeup call. Migrate everything you can to stuff that you control, not them.

Obviously that only helps if you can get in. Maybe persistence is your most promising option there? You're probably getting mostly automated systems rather than humans (I doubt even a LLM) so it may be a matter of rewording how you try to contact them such that maybe some keyword might get through.

@parisba The new book will be called self-hosting on used Apple hardware.

#humor #appleYouCanDoBetter #VictimBlaming #allApplesInOneBasket #thisIsWhyWeCantHaveNiceThings #VibeCodedFraudDetection

@parisba it should be illegal in this day and age to lock out legitimate users from their digital life like this with no recourse or appeal

@parisba Have you considered purchasing a single share of Aapl and calling investor relations?

No kidding, that trick is more effective against many companies than it would otherwise seem.

@parisba You need to send what’s called the “executive email carpet bomb” wherein you send a powerful email to every executive you can find, to on one email. Sending to Tim Cook is not enough. You need to CC other c-suite people, legal, pr, EVERYONE. Find out their email addresses methodology and start finding names to add to that TO field.

If you carpet bomb them with this email, you should finally land on someone’s radar who is appalled by the situation and will get you a resolution.

@parisba

There seem to be a remarkable number of mean-spirited replies here (judging by a quick sample), apparently by a very particular strand of Linux users, perhaps young ones or recent converts.

They don't usually turn up in my particular feed, though I do hear the occasional complaint - mostly in a humorous vein, though. Here they really are unpleasant.

I hope this particular issue is resolved. I wouldn't mind if the underlying problem were addressed, for that matter ...

@parisba reason 642 of not to own an Apple product.

@parisba the stories of this happening to people with Google is why I started a multi year process of migrating anything important to be self hosted. But what scares me is how many services I’ve used Apple to sign in with. Especially the ones using their hidden email service. Recovery would be near impossible.

@parisba I had the same some month ago, luckily with a fresh account where I was only about to loose like 100$ in software. The hotline just told me that they have no idea why the account got blocked, and that they have to tell me that I may have violated their business terms. Which is bullshit.
I think the best thing is to get a lawyer and sue them asap. Sorry for your trouble.

@parisba again an example of the total disrespect for individuals. Apple is only in it for the money. Steve Jobs showed them the way.

@parisba Yo @404mediaco that’s a story right there.

@parisba this happened to a work iCloud developer account I had. Only ever used to log into appstoreconnect and added to Xcode, nothing else not even added to a device. Then suddenly denied access and recovery with no insight into why or possibility to appeal. Work account so don’t care too much, but made me completely loose trust in my personal iCloud account safety (as in I now know to not trust it existing forever)

@parisba This is what can be expected when people place trust in soulless corporations whose decisions are based strictly on their interests. Shitcan Apple and Microsoft.

@parisba

Sorry for your plight & I hope that you can retrieve your data but this is a prime example why I'll never buy another #Apple product & why I never store anything that I care about on a proprietary site in #TheCloud.

I've owned a couple of iPhones (3&4), still own an iPad 1 that works & owned a Classic iPod that died with 1k or so tracks still on it, most of which were free.

I assume that I still have an Apple account but I haven't used it in over 5 yrs since my iPod died. So, it's probably been closed for dormancy.

I "invested" less than $1k in these Apple things. So, my "loss" was minimal but I never liked how Apple tries (very successfully) to suck ppl into buying ONLY their products & thereby forcing them to become hostage to its hardware & software systems.

This is why I'll NEVER buy another Apple product again & why, if asked, that I'll recommend against anyone buying any Apple product, as well. 🤷‍♂️

@parisba maybe @404mediaco wants to write something?

@parisba So when you say your devices are bricked, you mean you can't turn off Find My because it won't let you log in? I wonder if the prospect of them having to pay for new devices due to refunds will cause them to reconsider?

@parisba so, for convenience you put your whole digital life in a trap and now you are complaining that you are trapped? Trusting in a single company (regardless of apple, google, microsoft, atlassian, etc) is - frankly speaking- stupid these days. Go and free your digital life with Linux, OSS and Selfhosting. This is not convenient at all, but it's much better than being a digital slave from big-tech

@parisba

And here we have a classic example of *why* my generation ran, not walked, away from central servers (unix usually) with terminals to buy stand alone PCs.

I can't emphasize enough that "the cloud" is just rich people's servers - and rich people do not give a rats rear end about you.

Nothing like having your data all disappeared, or held hostage for more subscription fees, to learn that lesson.

The cloud is a trap, and relying on it is foolish at best. Keep your data local.

@parisba oh jesus christ this sucks so much, I'm sorry 😭

This is the kind of thing that makes me avoid stuff like this entirely 😭

(not trying to mock you or be rude like I've seen others in your replies and I apologize if that's how I came across, I genuinely hope you manage to fix this cause fucking hell)

@parisba
Good luck! 👍🍀🖖

@parisba
@FirewallDragons writes about similar in his book, particularly the "3-2-1 rule:" 3 backups on 2 different forms of media, with one being off-site. My documents on my hard drive and my external drive are also backed up in my Proton Drive account, and that's one example of the 3-2-1 rule in action.

All that said, I hope crApple unlocks your account.

@parisba This is one of those situations where I typically search online for people's email addresses, phone numbers, etc. and contact someone directly, because actual support is designed not to provide actual support.

@parisba

Your best bet might be to get a major newspaper involved. Bad publicity can sometimes work wonders. You have the advantage of being involved in Apple development over a long period of time, so your story would have more impact than the average hapless victim. If I were a journalist interested in tech matters, it would snag my attention.

@parisba My wife and I each had an iPod. I liked using mine for travel on a plane for music and my noise-cancelling headphones. But they changed the music system and we lost access. I've never been able to reestablish access to it and thus the iPods became bricks.

Sorry for your massive loss. I cannot imagine. This was annoying enough to lose access to a few hundred dollars worth of tech, but your loss is massive.

@parisba This happened to me a few years ago. I posted about it here: https://web.archive.org/web/20220731072922/https://twitter.com/com/status/1466928315562958850

The combo that got it resolved, I think, was: 1) posting the shit out of it on social media (I had a large‑ish Twitter account at the time + Reddit + HN + Apple Discussion forum), followed by 2), emailing tcook@apple.com. I got a reply from his executive team a few days after emailing. Good luck!

@parisba did you really trust Apple so much? I mean, it is terrible, I cannot help in any way, I just feel your pain – and it shows that trusting BigTech companies is a big mistake 😕 fingers crossed… it is also terribly wrong that one cannot reach to human support who could actually help; everything is automated and AI-ed to the level when the support is literally nonexistent

@parisba

What this teaches me is never to accept an apple gift card. From anyone. Apple store or not. Friend or not.

Return it unused, for the full value, asap.

Edit: if they let you even do that. It is possible they are fully aware of the tampering problem (because they cheaped out) and will refuse any returns for this very reason. So the real safe way is to never buy any apple gift card, ever.

@parisba damn, this is one of my worst nightmares. Kind of a wake up call for me.
This is what happens when fraud analysts are replaced with GenAI

@parisba This is horrible. The blank lack of anything other than "system says no" is apalling. There should *always* be fallback human contact to address situations like this. Good luck 🤞✊

@parisba

What a nightmare!

@parisba Something very like this happened to my 9 year old son's Apple ID when I got him his first MacBook: I registered an Apple ID for him, added it to my Family Sharing and then tried to log into his new MacBook Air with it. The account was immediately hellbanned, less than an hour after being registered, with no way to reverse, reactivate, appeal, or even delete the account. He'd never even touched the account or the computer. Months of support calls later, resolution was: email Tim Cook.

@parisba You need this published, in real media outlets, not just shared on amateur media.

@heiseonline

@parisba
Why my last Apple product of any kind was a IIe.
Walled gardens and doggy entrapment tactics were early red flags.

@parisba Why I throw apple away? It is not mine and no matter how many times I pay for it, it never will be. I don't like giving my money to mega corporations that think they own ME.
I don't like hosting parasites.

@parisba They are protecting their business, not yours. Hope you can recover your data and break free from Apple.

Mildly related: https://www.techspot.com/news/95729-google-refuses-reinstate-account-man-after-flagged-medical.html

@parisba I would be getting my lawyer to write their lawyer a friendly note. If you haven't already, do attempt to stoke a media furore on Twitter. Nobody reads Mastodon, and nobody cares what happens here, which is what makes it pleasant, but not particularly useful for applying social pressure.

Good luck. Terrible situation. Keep us all posted.

@parisba That's why I'm looking for open source alternatives to corporate software (which, unfortunately, is often more convenient and better).

It is a mistake to depend on the ecosystem

@parisba let’s keep all the data about entire life on proprietary, American, corporate software!! It can’t go wrong, right? Right???
Btw, I think it would be beneficial to move all government data (especially European) to some American, proprietary software like this. The scale would save us so much money!!!
Oh wait, we have no access anymore? And some AI gives our secrets to others?? Can’t be 🫨

@parisba let’s keep all the data about entire life on proprietary, American, corporate software!! It can’t go wrong, right? Right???
Btw, I think it would be beneficial to move all government data (especially European) to some American, proprietary software like this. The scale would save us so much money!!!
Oh wait, we have no access anymore? And some AI gives our secrets to others?? Can’t be 🫨

@parisba @siracusa the problem with corporations when they grow to hyperscale: they forget they exist because of their customers.

@parisba @siracusa 2026 will be the year of Data Sovereignty.

@parisba

@parisba Sorry to hear that. Apple are treating you terribly.

If anything good comes of this, it would be that people stop supporting 🇺🇸 Big Tech oligarchies.

We should abandon Apple, Alphabet, Meta, X, etc.

For the people saying why use gift cards that big, you can cash out credit card rewards for gift cards and Apple is a popular choice. Paid for most of a MacBook Pro with 3 $500 gift cards, though I’d be nervous to do it now!

@parisba Find My is probably the reason you can't logout from your devices. Ironically you can even enable Find My while your account is locked (I did at some point, it's just a switch), but then you can't disable it (because for turning the switch off it requires your password, thus a login, and you're locked out of that). Fortunately in my case it was a simple lock due to probably too many invalid password errors and I was able to unlock it by email, but it's a terrible trap nonetheless.

@parisba

Corporations are Not your friends.

https://mastodon.social/@B_Bird/115710126458118920

@parisba Hi Paris, this is awful! I am back with my previous employer and have access to an Enterprise Support Account which has plenty of headroom to put in a ticket on your behalf. Hit me up on Monday?

@parisba it's why i moved out of apple it work wonder when it work, but when it don't you are screwd

@parisba as a human beeing: sorry to hear

as an open source, self host fanatic: i have no sympathy for this issue

@parisba

Relying on commercial big tech for all your digital data can almost not be avoided. We should steer away from it… the cloud is just somebody else’s computer.

Go open source whenever possible…

Clear and enforceable rules and regulations are needed to protect the users against these murky unpredictable and in-transparant monopolies that can simply ban without reasoning.

@parisba I'm really sorry for your loss, but it's never a good idea to have all eggs in one basket, especially photos and such w/o a backup.

Also gift cards, key codes or anything designed for a middle man is always a massive risk in my book, so many people have lost their Steam accounts for redeeming a code that'd been purchased with a stolen CC.

@parisba Sue them!

@parisba Corporations do not deserve our loyalty, version 10,000,000,0000.

@parisba /CC @verge

@parisba
@bart

@parisba /CC @daringfireball

@parisba Well you are dealing with a big-"tech"-company. What made you think thy care about you? What made you think that, unlike all other big-"tech"-companies, they would not be your enemy?

@parisba So sorry to hear what's happened, it sounds like the worst nightmare imaginable. This part particularly made me roll my eyes:

"I can’t even sign out of the blocked iCloud account because… it’s barred from the sign-out API, as far as I can tell."

FFS. That is terrible API design...

@parisba

@parisba Off topic, but I took the opportunity to block all the accounts who blamed you for not being FOSS-enough.

@parisba I’ve sent your blog post to Tim Cook and Joz on twitter asking them to escalate ASAP

@parisba you don't have a backup of your data? Lesson learned I guess, hope that's the first thing you do when/if you regain access!