Apple removes app created by Andrew Tate::Legal firm had said Real World Portal encouraged misogyny and there was evidence to suggest it is an illegal pyramid scheme
I mean, sure, I will almost always die on this hill - but for something that [Insert excuse here]
Now, if it was like an app that [Insert app that I like], sure.
Really bro? Lets say you liked Jimmy. Jimmy was a contraversal guy and Jimmy had the Jimmy app on the App Store. Then Apple took down the Jimmy app since they do not like Jimmy, Jimmy is too contraversal, Jimmy triggers too many people online.
You either die on this hill of being against censorship or you don’t.
You do not have to like or support Andrew Tate to be against his app being taken off the App Store.
This app didn’t get taken down because it was by a “controversial” guy. It got taken down because content in the app encouraged violence and because the app itself was a pyramid scheme (People had to pay $50/month just to use the app, with promises of rewards if they got more people to join).
Google removed the app from their store, too. Yes, you can still probably install it from their website or a third party app store on Android, and yes, it would be great if third party app stores and sideloading existed for iOS (and they kinda do, though they’re very limited) but even if they did exist it would be reasonable to expect every single one of them to refuse to host this app (especially if “hosting” entails accepting payments).
Tate can still host this via the web. He can even build a progressive web app for it. I suspect he’ll run into issues collecting that $50 monthly payment any way other than by crypto, though, since I suspect most payment processors will refuse to work with him.
The app was taken down because it had Andrew Tate’s name on it, lets not kid ourselves.
Even if you were correct on why the app was taken down due to “it will cause violence”, minus well ban all social media apps and messanging apps.
If the app was banned due to it being a scam (which is not the case), that is reasonable to protect users, but still sucks since even if the app was banned with the excuse of it being a scam, iOS users are SOL since there is no alternative way to really install apps on iOS.
If the issue were his name, then it wouldn’t have made it on the App Store in the first place.
Apple also removes social media apps that don’t meet their standards for moderation, so that’s already a thing. For example:
Note that Apple didn’t remove “Truth Social” (though Google did) so this isn’t a political issue (it may be for Google, but I doubt it).
Check out Apple’s App Store Review Guidelines. Personally, I approve of Apple protecting its users from scams and other dangerous content. There are a ton of things I’d love for them to be more open about allowing, but I’m fine with them banning apps like this one.
Is your issue that you don’t like Apple’s requirements? If so, this app is an excellent point in their favor in most people’s eyes.
Is your issue that you think Apple’s requirements are discriminatory in some way? If so, an app by a cis het white misogynist is probably not a great example of that.
Do you think their standards were applied unfairly? If so, I find it hard to believe that you even read their guidelines.
Honestly, I get the impression that you’re just a Tate fanboy and that you’re mad that Apple pulled his app.
scam (which is not the case)
I’m guessing you haven’t visited the website, because it screams “Scam!”
no alternative way to install apps on iOS
If the app was banned due to it being a scam (which is not the case)
The term “scam” is a straw man. “Scam” is subjective, so you could define a scam as “an app that provides no content and steals your money” and conclude that the app in question is not that, and therefore fine.
The main assertion in the article is:
the app deliberately targets young men and encourages misogyny, including members of the app sharing techniques on how to control and exploit women. The firm has also claimed that there is evidence to suggest that the app is an illegal pyramid scheme
I feel like your negative opinion of censorship is so strong that it overpowers your morality. Would you let a serial killer walk around shouting that we should kill everyone just for the sake of preventing censorship, or would you insist they’re locked up? See, even you have your limit.
Its a less extreme example, but the same logic applies here. We shouldn’t just let misogyny grow for the sake of ‘freedom’. That’s how you end up with stuff like the Nazis. Classic bystander mentality.
An app won’t kill anyone on its own. Just like how guns don’t kill people, people kill people.
What about an app whose intention is to make it easier to kill as specific subset of people?
