Apple purging 'overtly sexual' content from App Store?

updated 10:30 am EST, Fri February 19, 2010

Some titles disappear, others remain


A major policy change may be taking hold at the App Store, a report implies. Jon Atherton, the developer of a title called Wobble iBoobs, says he recently received a letter from Apple informing him that his app was being pulled because the company has decided to clamp down on "overtly sexual content" of any sort. "The App Store continues to evolve," the letter begins, "and as such, we are constantly refining our guidelines. Your application, Wobble iBoobs (Premium Uncensored), contains content that we had originally believed to be suitable for distribution. However, we have recently received numerous complaints from our customers about this type of content, and have changed our guidelines appropriately."

Atherton's experience may be just one example, as some similarly-themed apps like Exotic Positions and Sexy Women have disappeared from the App Store, leaving either a broken link or no trace at all. Other "adult" titles remain, though Apple may simply have more work to do before it can censor every potentially objectionable app. Such restrictions could harm developers who have become dependent on the apps for income, though such a strategy has always been risky given the flexibility of Apple's rules.


by MacNN Staff


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Comments

  1. iphonerulez

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2008

    -3

    Those developers should move to Android

    I personally think p*** is perfectly natural but I'd prefer they keep the App Store PG rated. There's plenty of other places on the internet to get p***. I'm guessing that only a small majority of downloaders need those types of apps in the App Store. Most of that stuff is just plain silly, but developers will keep trying to push the limit. If the developers have a problem with their rights being violated, they should try to take Apple to court. In my opinion, the "walled garden" approach is the best way to go for Apple's mobile platform.

    If users want that stuff, they should just mosey their browser over to xhamster.com and look at videos until their eyes burst.

  1. ebeyer

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jun 2004

    +8

    Web-based?

    I'm no developer, but it seems most of these applications are little more than
    new ways to present erotic content. Would it be that difficult to "port" them
    to a web-based application, thereby bypassing Apple entirely?

  1. Jonathan-Tanya

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Oct 2004

    +12

    Prudes

    Frankly, I have not interest in an app that's going to teach me mandarin Chinese...but I'm not going to go crazy to discover that such an app exists. The same applies to these silly sexual apps - they seem mighty strange, but I don't care that they exist.

    As long as apple puts the apps, out of the reach of children - say, require that you pay for it with a credit card - then who cares if they exist.

    Let them exist, if you don't care for the app - I don't blame you - just don't use it.

    Being a prude is no way to live your life. Stop criminalizing bodies - stop criminalizing s**.

    Some people look really good, and you don't. You'll survive.

  1. Geoduck

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2010

    +8

    Adult Section

    I've thought for a long time that Apple needs an Adult section.

  1. Bobfozz

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jul 2008

    -4

    Apps Develops Keep Forgetting

    Apple is not the developers. And when apps. of a sexual nature are allowed the developers keep pushing. That's the problem with p***, one can never go far enough... there always has to be something new.

    Pervs have the web, movies, books, and now you are pushing Apple to do what they won't do. Apple makes sales because, in the main, families like Apple. Imagine you were running Apple, what would you do? And after you had to keep doing more and more, where would it end? The problem with p*** is it doesn't end, and it wrecks a lot of families. Do not go for the easy temptation.

    It really shows a lack of imagination to always feel like the only way you can make money is to exploit s**. Sad for you. Be what you can really be... not a horny copycat.

  1. darkelf

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2003

    +6

    well heck...

    we've been complaining about MS Office for years, and its still on the shelves. so what gives?

  1. andrewbw

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2001

    +9

    THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!

    I mean, why even put an accelerometer in the phone if I no longer can use it to cause tumescent and gently oiled happy bags to bounce and heave like majestic rolling ocean waves on my screen? Why even get out of bed in the morning now?

  1. WiseWeasel

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Apr 1999

    +7

    Priorities

    It's the height of hubris to imply that sexual content is unacceptable while shooting people in the head is just fine. It really demonstrates a bias for twisted puritan American values, while Apple is enforcing this restriction in other countries, where the violence is much more controversial than the sexual content. Apple really should have found a better solution than this, as it's just a matter of time before this slippery slope leads to a bunch of other content that certain groups find objectionable being censored. They should have empowered their users to filter the content to their personal tastes, not impose arbitrary restrictions on them. Dumb move, Apple.

  1. testudo

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    +2

    Re: Adult Section

    I've thought for a long time that Apple needs an Adult section.

    They have one. All materials are rated. h***, when you download half the apps on the store there's some warning of how it could contain or allow access to mature content.

    Parents usually fall under the "I don't have time to police what my kids do or watch!" umbrella, and then scream when they find out their kids are having s**, or watching 'mature' TV, or looking up 'bad' material on the internet. And then they demand companies put special code in their devices to protect their children they're too busy to pay attention to, or demand the gov't legislate that such things be put in.

    And yet they'd still complain...

  1. testudo

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    -2

    Re: Priorities

    It's the height of hubris to imply that sexual content is unacceptable while shooting people in the head is just fine. It really demonstrates a bias for twisted puritan American values

    It's not hubris. The second amendment gives Americans the right to bear arms. And I think there's a codicil in there somewhere that this also applies to video games.

    Hubris is a bunch of people going all freaky over a semi-exposed breast during the half-time show of a football game, and yet not complain one iota over the "cheerleaders" (they look and dress more like strippers than anything else) that parade the sidelines and are constantly shown on television. Not to mention the fact the entire sport is all about the violent collisions, which, if it happened on the street, would be grounds for arrest on assault charges.

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