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Apple and App Store censorship: where to draw the line?

arstechnica.com — Apple seems to be of two minds when it comes to policing the App Store, but in the end is it really worth it for Apple or iPhone users?

Who dugg this? Made popular Jan 21, 2009

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  • stealthspc, on 01/21/2009, -2/+15Seriously, why does Apple care? They already sold us the device, now they should sell us as many apps as possible to maximize profits.

    Something just doesn't add up. But then again, Apple is controlling, so whats new.
  • Dweller99, on 01/20/2009, -1/+12"apple does a great job filtering the crap that gets sent it... 2 too many flashlight apps... level scales... fart apps"

    I would hate to see what you consider "crap" if that is the kind of stuff that gets through.
  • macfan93, on 01/21/2009, -5/+15Power user's abuse of digg: when will it end?
  • unh0ly, on 01/21/2009, -1/+10 Censorship is like taking a steak away from a grown man because a baby can’t chew it.

    - Mark Twain
  • bean48009, on 01/21/2009, -3/+10and you're a duchebag! Buried for being a supporter of fascism!!!
  • kent1146, on 01/21/2009, -0/+6Where did people get the delusion that they have any privilege to freedom on the App Store?

    It's an closed ecosystem controlled entirely by a corporation. They can do whatever the ***** they want on it. The only "privilege" that people have is to go play in someone else's playground if they don't like the rules.

  • rrife, on 01/21/2009, -0/+6If you don't like the Apple App Store, switch to Windows Mobile....there is no censorship on that platform.
  • inactive, on 01/21/2009, -10/+15A very similar story was posted 4 days ago. Im assuming that MrBabyMan doesnt read the front page as he leaves the impression that he's an article submitting machine.

    http://digg.com/apple/Apple_Approves_e_book_after_ ...
  • timusca, on 01/21/2009, -0/+5Because look at the crap that's already on there... now imagine what they actually deny! If they didn't police it, you can bet it would be LITTERED with ads and other ridiculous stuff to make the whole experience terrible.

    You can say there's tons of crap on the App Store... but it could definitely be much worse.

    Perhaps they should have some sort of process where everything gets through but after x amount of reports from users, it gets investigated. I dunno...
  • digiguy, on 01/21/2009, -1/+6Censorship is everywhere. Why isn't it any different. It's Apple's device. If it doesn't live up to your standards, buy another phone
  • bjornski, on 01/21/2009, -0/+5No, but only being able to buy "approved" applications from their store is.

    If you don't like the terms of service, get a different product. If you drop that much money on a phone without doing at least a modicum of research, it's not Apple's fault if you aren't happy with your purchase.

    Ignorance is not an excuse.
  • philodygmn, on 01/21/2009, -0/+4Don't draw any line (other than illegal content), obviously! Who do they think they're supposed to be, now, the MPAA?!
  • MacParrot, on 01/21/2009, -1/+5Relax. It's an app that makes stupid noises. No one pulled your finger to make you buy it.
  • akatsuki, on 01/21/2009, -0/+4As soon as there is an open alternative with at least the same level of polish and functionality and critical mass, I'll switch.

    Free software will not provide the incentive for 1,000,000 fart and flashlight apps at 0.99 each!
  • moracity, on 01/21/2009, -2/+6Censorship of the App Store by Apple is not even possible because Apple OWNS the App Store. Censorship can only be done by a 3rd party. For instance, if Obama told Apple they could no longer offer the Constitution app. THAT is an attempt at censorship.

    Apple can do whatever it wants to do. You, the consumer, have no say in the matter. You can speak up by not using the App Store. Otherwise, STFU. No one forced you to buy an iPhone and no one is forcing you to use the App Store.

    Seriously, is there actually anyone with understanding of the real world on digg?
  • ProfessorJerk, on 01/21/2009, -0/+4Dugg for jiggly boob app.
  • blackjack75, on 01/21/2009, -0/+3Users just could have filters on their devices (levels if you want).
  • RyanoPT, on 01/21/2009, -1/+4Oh and how funny is it just last week i saw Lily Allens new song - ***** you, yeah, ***** you just written like that.

    And to think then that Apple wants to reject a couple of f-words in an app? get real Apple, or atleast... get better reviewing staff.
  • hamobu, on 01/22/2009, -0/+3So according to you a phone purchase should include a research with a paralegal?

    Apple apologist are amazing. To them apple can do no wrong. You would not take this kind of crap from Scientology. I guess Apple is better at brainwashing than a deadly cult.
  • bjornski, on 01/21/2009, -0/+3Won't anybody think of the children?
  • mockidol, on 01/21/2009, -0/+3People are ignoring one BIG factor.

    Movies and songs are already labled objctionable by a thrid party that is in charge of doing so. Rated R movies for instance are choosen to be by a seperate organization so Apple in essence has no legal obligility to that rating. They just follow it. Applications on the other hand are policed by them so any objectionable content that gets into the wrong hands could fall onto Apple.

    They're just trying to cover their own asses which is hard to do with millions of submissions.
  • bjornski, on 01/21/2009, -1/+4And if you don't like it, you buy a different item.

    I agree with you, but it's their product to sell as they wish. Most Mac users seem to think that it's fine when Apple restricts their OS to their machines, but not what you can do with your Phone after you get it.

    Don't like their business practices? Support their competition.
  • SteeleJK, on 01/21/2009, -0/+3This is all a part of Apple's plan for a thinner, smoother, cleaner world. No really though, because you're actually going to their site to download these apps as well as receiving a conformation email of the download from Apple it represents their company in some small way.
    If little Johnny gets caught with the boob app on his iPod he got for Christmas and he bought it with the iTunes 20$ card he got from his Grandma his parents might get upset and not buy the iPod Air Touch next year for each one of their kids. Like WAL-MART, Apple wants a one stop shopping, family oriented feel with the iTunes App Store.
  • timusca, on 01/21/2009, -3/+5OK, now you're just trying to be cool by joining in on everyone else...
  • inactive, on 01/22/2009, -0/+2It would be best for the consumer (and more profitiable for Apple) is to incorporate a content rating system into iTunes and approve any submitted App, as long as it is rated accordingly, not malicious, and meets some form of stability benchmark. Not only would consumers be given a content rating before downloading an app, but users (or parents) would be able to regulate what content appears in the App Store via a filter in iTunes.

    As an Apple customer, I find it really frustrating the way Apple insists on big-brothering the use of their hadrware and software. If Microsoft or Google did business the way Apple does, they'd be staring at another anti-trust case.
  • ProfessorJerk, on 01/21/2009, -3/+5To be fair, that story didn't have jiggly boobs in it.
  • blackjack75, on 01/21/2009, -1/+3Truly revolting. To think this piece of art has been rejected!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ATWBZj3tP4
  • hamobu, on 01/21/2009, -2/+4Your justification is funny. Crime is evrywhere too, should apple steal your private info from iPhone and make charges on your credit card?

    When you buy iPhone, it is your phone. It does not belong to apple anymore. They in return get your money with which they get to do what ever they want without you having a say in it. And even if you did know about Apple censorship when you bought the device (and I doubt that you did) most people don't know about it when they buy the device. It is not like censorship is listed right on the box.
  • computershack, on 01/21/2009, -0/+2Considering how much ***** there is on there already, can you imagine how bad it'd be if it were unrestricted? It'd be the end of it TBH.
  • JasonCox, on 01/21/2009, -2/+4If it was submitted 4 days ago it's not going to be making the front page. The Digg Algorithm is cool like that.
  • hazello, on 01/21/2009, -1/+3I sure do hate the stupid 'fart' apps... I'd like to stab whomever made that to death, followed by kicking all of the morons who bought it.
  • hazello, on 01/23/2009, -0/+2It tells me very disturbing things about society that anyone other than a 12 year old idiot has purchased this horrific piece of software.
  • ilgaz, on 01/22/2009, -0/+2Look at Symbian land and try to find a "iFart" like application. You won't. Free market already kills them.
  • ThirdPrize, on 01/22/2009, -0/+2No offence, but the developers are giving the people what they want. Fart apps.
  • inactive, on 01/21/2009, -1/+3@ JasonCox

    But it did make it to the front page. The algorithm failed and so did MrBabyMan as he submitted the story.
  • websyndicate, on 01/22/2009, -0/+2Seriously people complain about censorship in the store now we complain about not censoring. WTF
  • ilgaz, on 01/22/2009, -0/+2Drawing the line? Don't buy iPhone until Apple policies changed. Saying as a person who rejected a free iPhone recently stating I am happy with my open Symbian handsets.
    If you have bought? Well you accepted the policy and supported it. Stop whining.
    I run pure OS X software/hardware configuration down to web hosting. iPhone on the other hand, is a disgrace and already giving Apple OS X a bad name. People started to think that OS X works iPhone way.
  • inactive, on 01/21/2009, -1/+3Every Apple story has something to do with Apple being a dick. Apple policing this, Apple sending cease & desist letters here or there, Apple introducing new crippling DRM into their ***** products.

    ***** APPLE.
  • SteveMax, on 01/21/2009, -0/+2The developers themselves could suggest a rating. Users who don't agree with it can flag the application; enough flags and the app goes away. Enough apps deleted and the developer loses access to the store.

    Or: developers and users flag the various "possibly objectable" content on any application; bad language, mature themes, porn, drug use, etc etc etc. An application is kept in a "new apps" area until it gets downloaded and rated by a certain number of people. You set your phone to only accept applications without the tags you don't want, and those with a total rating above the level of crappiness you're willing to accept. There are many ways to stay out of the mess, actually, and make the thing work.



    Also: Amazon sells lots of crappy stuff, things with questionable content, even porn. However, the review system (and smart people searching the web) works well enough, you can easily separate what is worth your money and what fits your needs. I don't think someone could sue Amazon because they didn't know what they were buying. Apple could do something similar.
  • clockdist, on 01/21/2009, -0/+2pwnd!
  • oldtactics, on 01/21/2009, -1/+2Apple is a private company that can make up whatever rules they want. I don't understand how this is even a discussion. If you want to have an app free-for-all, no one is stopping you from starting your own company.
  • hamobu, on 01/21/2009, -2/+3Your argument only applies if you know what you are buying before hand. Like I said above, censorship is not listed on the iPhone box as one of the features.
  • jimineyPoop, on 01/21/2009, -0/+1The review for that app is the best thing I've seen in a long time:

    http://macenstein.com/default/archives/1947
  • bjornski, on 01/21/2009, -1/+2What's that noise?

    http://media.urbandictionary.com/image/large/waaaa ...
  • bean48009, on 01/21/2009, -3/+4Dugg Up for agreeing!
  • PeanutCheeseBar, on 01/21/2009, -3/+3Forget burying the stories; bury the person who is submitting all of them...

    ...under six feet of dirt.
  • SaintStryfe, on 01/21/2009, -2/+2Because if Apple created the platform from the bottom up. If there's a bad UNIX program, you can't very well go sue Bell Labs. If someone writes a Malicious Windows app, you can't really go after MS. But here? I think it'd be very easy for someone to sue Apple. Also, basic quality control : yeah, some apps are copies or some apps are just silly, but having an active hand in decding which can get through I think helps keep the software makers.

    Beside, as someone else noted, most of what's rejected are of questionable legality at best.
  • PilotHead, on 01/21/2009, -3/+3"Apple should let iPhone users decide for themselves."

    Apple giving their customer choices? Their product, their rules, I always thought mac worshipers were content with that.
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