> It almost seems like Apple gets held to a higher standard just because they have privacy preserving initiatives

It doesnt' seem this way at all. It is rare to see someone talking about current behavior, they are always talking about the slippery slope - such as landmark detection obviously being the first step in detecting propaganda on a political dissident's phone.

This isn't driven by trying to hold them to a higher standard; it is an emotional desire of wanting to see them caught in a lie.