How much responsibility for stopping illegal technology transfer do retail stores have?

[BigAppleBucky]

Apple Store In Georgia Refuses To Sell iPad, iPhone To Farsi-Speaking Customer, Citing Company Policy
That was the headline for this story:

Apple Refuses To Sell iPad, iPhone To Iranians

This topic might fit in with great debates, but it’s really fairly petty, so I put it in the Pit.

A 19-year-old woman in Alpharetta, Ga., claims that her local Apple store refused to sell her anything after she was heard speaking Farsi with her uncle while she was trying to buy an iPhone and iPad.

PROHIBITED DESTINATIONS The U.S. holds complete embargoes against Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria
The exportation, reexportation, sale or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States, or by a U.S. person wherever located, of any Apple goods, software, technology (including technical data), or services to any of these countries is strictly prohibited without prior authorization by the U.S. Government. This prohibition also applies to any Apple owned subsidiary or any subsidiary employee worldwide

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The article goes on to point out that it would be unlikely for the store to prohibit a Spanish speaking person from purchasing an IPad because the person might be Cuban.

So how is the store supposed to know? Should they be getting a signed statement from each purchaser that they won’t be transfering the technology to a prohibited country?

How come its only Apple products (and a few others) and not everything?

It seems to me that avoiding the embargo is simplicity itself - just pay a straw buyer. It’s done every day for firearms.

It makes sense to end silly embargos.

[Gukumatz]

It’s a pointless exercise from a consumer outlet perspective. You refuse someone and they walk out the door, grab their smart-phone and orders it delivered to their door.

[Alley_Dweller]

@Gukumatz

It’s a pointless exercise from a consumer outlet perspective. You refuse someone and they walk out the door, grab their smart-phone and orders it delivered to their door.

Ah, but then the alleged terrorist would have to give out his address.

[Tim_T-Bonham.net]

@BigAppleBucky

The article goes on to point out that it would be unlikely for the store to prohibit a Spanish speaking person from purchasing an IPad because the person might be Cuban.

This is not a very good analogy at all.

Spanish is spoken in many countries all over the world; Farsi is pretty much spoken only in Iran.

[ExVoxMachina]

Dude.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Persian_Language_Location_Map1.png

Not to mention the emigres across the world.

[Otara]

“The iPad was to be a gift for her cousin who lives in Iran.”

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/customer-apple-store-denied-me-ipad-speaking-farsi/nPY4p/

From the linked article on the issue that the Huff referred to. So it was intended to be sent overseas.

Otara

[Cheesesteak]

Otara mentions the best part. This girl is all pissed off because Apple refused her service, citing the Iran embargo, then she goes and admits her plan was to violate the embargo by sending the item to someone overseas.

I am in general agreement that embargoes, as a whole, are stupid, but that doesn’t mean one should brazenly violate them while publicizing the event.

[cckerberos]

Did you mean to put this in the Pit?

I don’t think enforcing the embargo at the retail level is practical or good business. Leave it to the shipping carriers.

[GreasyJack]

Do we actually have a “complete” embargo with Iran? I know there’s a long list of forbidden exports and there’s sanctions against state-run industries, but is there anything that actually forbids a relatively benign transaction like selling an iPad to an individual Iranian?

[johnpost]

didn’t Apple apologize for appearing to be a money grubbing heartless corporation and offer for her to buy it mail order?

i do recall that Apple products are weapons that can’t be exported, it is in their ads.