
Apple Removes 3rd Palestinian Intifada iPhone App - ArabGeek
http://arabcrunch.com/2011/06/apple-removes-3rd-palestinian-intifada-iphone-app.html
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DrJokepu
From the App Store Review Guidelines:

14.1 Any app that is defamatory, offensive, mean-spirited, or likely to place
the targeted individual or group in harms way will be rejected

19.1 Apps containing references or commentary about a religious, cultural or
ethnic group that are defamatory, offensive, mean-spirited or likely to expose
the targeted group to harm or violence will be rejected

Also

"We have lots of kids downloading lots of apps, and parental controls don't
work unless the parents set them up (many don't). So know that we're keeping
an eye out for the kids."

"We will reject Apps for any content or behavior that we believe is over the
line. What line, you ask? Well, as a Supreme Court Justice once said, "I'll
know it when I see it". And we think that you will also know it when you cross
it."

"If your app is rejected, we have a Review Board that you can appeal to. If
you run to the press and trash us, it never helps."

I don't see why it is so difficult to understand these rules. If you want free
speech, start a blog.

~~~
Blarat
I guess they did follow the rules, as it was just after Israel sent a demand
for the app to be pulled from the market that it got pulled. That to me says
that it was approved by apple... OTOH it could've slipped passed the review
board

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wccrawford
"with this move Apple proves that free speech and the right for palestinians
to be free from Israeli occupation are not granted at Apple."

Apple has never granted Free Speech. No company has.* Or any other rights.

The best you can get is a contract that states how each side benefits from the
transaction. Without a contract, you're playing by the company's rules on the
company's property.

Why anyone is ever surprised at this is beyond me.

* NearlyFreeSpeech.net is impressive in its attempt at this. But even they admit they can't do certain things, like oppose the laws of the United States. I'm sure there are others that attempt it, also.

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choko
It would have been irresponsible for them to NOT pull this app. They just took
down the app that lists sobriety checkpoints, which are, by law, publicly
available information. Apple wants a sanitized app store, and the Third
Infantada app clearly violates that principle.

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cageface
If Apple allowed opt-in sideloading like Android they'd be less often in the
center of these kinds of controversies.

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tzs
Note that the author of that admits that he has not looked at the app in
question and has no idea what it contains.

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jaysonelliot
How ironic. They hate the West and all it stands for, but want to use the
iPhone to spread their message.

~~~
Blarat
I read the article, where exactly did it state that they "hate the west and
all it stands for". Popular political figures like to repeat it, but I have
yet to hear it from someone that isn't from the west...

~~~
ArabGeek
They just push false news, propaganda, no body hates the west and what it
stands for!

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dolvlo
How many palestinians have iPhones? I sincerely doubt this was helping many
people resist israeli occupation

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ArabGeek
facebook did before the same and this comes after israeli goverment sent a
letter to Appale saying that the app is full of hatred!

It is hatred to call for the liberation from occupation!

~~~
choko
Facebook only pulled the page after comments turned violent. Initially, they
said the page would be allowed to stay. Then the posts began to incite
violence, which is against the FB TOS. It had nothing to do with censoring a
call from "liberation from occupation", if you can really call it that.

