Apple TV+ released the two-part documentary 'Number One on the Call Sheet', which highlights Black excellence in Hollywood by featuring prominent Black actors and addressing systemic challenges faced by marginalized communities in the industry.

Allegations by lawyers representing the Democratic Republic of Congo claim that Apple is sourcing minerals from conflict zones, involving illegal exploitation, child labor, and violence, which contradicts the company's own Conflict Minerals Report.

According to OpenSecrets, Apple Inc spent $9.86M on lobbying during 2023, reflecting a significant corporate effort to influence political processes.

Apple TV+ has cancelled the upcoming third season of Jon Stewart’s show, a move widely attributed to pressure from Chinese government censorship. Critics argue that this decision prioritizes market access over free expression, effectively silencing a prominent cultural critic.

A China Labor Watch investigation reveals extensive labor rights violations at Foxconn’s Chengdu factory, one of Apple's major suppliers. The report documents forced overtime, recruitment discrimination, harassment, and exploitation of dispatch workers, raising questions about Apple's oversight of its supply chain.

On January 31, 2023, NLRB investigators reported that Apple imposed internal rules restricting workers from discussing wages and other protected activities. The investigation found that such restrictions coerce and intimidate employees, undermining their ability to assert their labor rights.

Apple spent $540,000 on lobbying services from Covington & Burling in early January 2023 to convince the White House to veto a patent dispute ruling that threatened an import ban on certain Apple Watch models. The effort ultimately failed, highlighting the company’s use of expensive political influence tactics.

Apple significantly increased its lobbying spending in 2022 by 44% compared to 2021, reaching nearly $9.4 million. The company engaged on multiple issues, including antitrust, online privacy, taxes, semiconductor policy, content moderation, climate change, immigration, and LGBTQ issues. This aggressive political engagement underscores the firm’s efforts to shape policy debates during a period of potential legislative shifts.

Apple and its affiliates donated $1.3 million during the 2022 elections cycle, with the majority of funds directed to Democratic candidates. This contribution is interpreted as support for progressive political change in contrast to far‐right authoritarianism.

Apple introduced a new human rights policy updating its supplier code of conduct to ensure fair and ethical workplace standards for workers in its supply chain. The policy sets limits such as a 60-hour workweek and mandates at least one day off, in response to criticisms from human rights groups and recent incidents at supplier factories. However, critics note the move is largely symbolic due to its lack of clear implementation mechanisms and accountability measures.

In October 2019, Apple removed HKmap.live—a tool used by Hong Kong pro-democracy demonstrators—and the Quartz news app from its China App Store. The company justified these removals by citing safety concerns, but critics argue that the removals demonstrate self-censorship and deference to Chinese government demands.

A recent report revealed that labor and human rights violations in Apple's global supply chain have doubled within a year, with cases of working hours falsification, underage labor, and exploitation documented across multiple supplier factories.

Buzzfeed News reported that in 2018 Apple advised Apple TV+ show developers to steer clear of presenting China in a negative light, suggesting that the censorship practiced within China is affecting global content narratives. This directive indicates internal pressure to conform to Chinese state sensitivities even in content intended for international audiences.