Apple CEO Tim Cook attended the Newseum's Free Expression Awards in Washington, D.C., last night to accept the institution's 2017 Free Expression Award.

Cook was named in February as the recipient of the award in the Free Speech category, which recognized the Apple CEO for having a "profound impact" on communication and for using his position to "take a public stand" on issues like racial equality, privacy, the environment, LGBT rights, and more.

According to AppleInsider, Cook used his acceptance speech to highlight the challenges involved in ensuring First Amendment rights remain a fundamental cornerstone in an increasingly technology-driven world.

Tim Cook award

"We know that these freedoms require protection," Cook said of First Amendment rights. "Not just the forms of speech that entertain us, but the ones that challenge us. The ones that unnerve and even displease us. They're the ones that need protection the most. It's no accident that these freedoms are enshrined and protected in the First Amendment. They are the foundation to so many of our rights."

"This is a responsibility that Apple takes very seriously," Cook said. "First we defend, we work to defend these freedoms by enabling people around the world to speak up. And second, we do it by speaking up ourselves. Because companies can, and should have values."

Other winners on the night included U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award, and Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, who received an Arts and Entertainment Award shared with Hatch Beauty chairman Christie Hefner.

The Newseum aims to explain and defend free expression and the five freedoms of the First Amendment through a range of interactive museum exhibits. Its annual awards ceremony is used to celebrate positive work achieved by individuals across the occupational spectrum, including government, civil rights, and journalism.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Top Rated Comments

Cineplex Avatar
91 months ago
Oh please. Tim Cook hasn't done squat for anyone. What freedoms has he protected? He sends out a few emails a year, quotes MLK, and tells everyone he's gay and that earns a freedom award. There are many people out there more deserving of all these "honors" than Cook. He made a rainbow watch band...wow. Can we get a CEO for Apple that will focus on products instead of LGBTQ issues and world politics?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maflynn Avatar
91 months ago
Ok. So we finally know MacRumors' official stance on all of this.
No, you know the opinion of a member who volunteers his time at MacRumors.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sza Avatar
91 months ago
Steve Jobs: Apple is changing the world...
Tim Cook: LGBT is changing the world...
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
opeter Avatar
91 months ago
Congratulations, Mr. Cook. Now it is the right time, to update the Mac mini.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HappyDude20 Avatar
91 months ago
Considering Tim Cook's focus the past 6 years has been solely on profits for Apple, I genuinely believe he will simply steal what other visionaries such as Mark Zuckerberg unveil in the coming years. Especially when it comes to AI and Augmented Reality.

Good for Tim Cook for slightly chiming in on LGBT issues but I HATE how he is slowly destroying the wonderful Apple company that Jobs & Wozniak created.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maflynn Avatar
91 months ago
I would prefer a CEO to be less focused on social issues and more focused on what his company is producing. Taking 3 years to figure out that professionals don't want a non upgradeable mac pro is very sad.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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