Katie MarsalDeveloper ChilliFresh, creator of the "Wobble iBoobs" application removed from the App Store last week due to "numerous complaints" from users, claimed that a discussion with Apple revealed the company removed more than 5,000 offending applications from the App Store.
That number was supported by tracking from AppShopper.com, which found that more that nearly 4,000 applications were removed last Friday, Feb. 18. While the level of removals is typically about 100 per day, the total remained uncharacteristically high over the weekend. The total number of removed applications is said to have amounted to roughly 3 percent of the entire App Store.
The developer, ChilliFresh, claimed that an Apple representative said images of both women and men in bikinis are inappropriate, as are words that have a sexual connotation. Apple allegedly is not allowing applications that can be "sexually arousing," or that imply sexual content.
The developer has expressed disappointment with Apple, as they claim "Wobble" does not include any offending images when installed. Instead, the application allows users to select their own pictures and add "jiggle points" to photos. The application has been downloaded more than 970,000 times.
The application also was not modified in over a half year before Apple allegedly changed its policies and removed it and other applications found to have "overtly sexual content." And though it was claimed more than 5,000 applications have been removed, other adult oriented content, such as the official 99 cent Playboy app, remains for sale.
Another application, "Adult Sex Life," features a woman in a bikini as its icon, but offers informational tips and is portrayed as an "introductory guide to sex." Rated for ages 17 and up, the $2.99 application includes mature themes, profanity and "frequent/intense sexual content or nudity."
With iPhone OS 3.0, Apple added an age rating system for applications. This not only allowed parents to set appropriate application access for their families, but also opened up the potential for developers to release applications with more adult-oriented content.
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
AppleInsider Staff
Chip Loder
Malcolm Owen
194 Comments
Oh Good Gracious!
How did they ever make it though Walt Jobs' goon squad in the first place?
I for one am glad to see it. There are some that are always pushing the limits which forces others to make more rules. Then they, the people responsible, never end up taking the heat for what they have done. Why don't we blame the people that really should be blamed for these changes?
3% of total apps adult-related huh.. The internet as a whole i like 1%.
After doing my own research, 1% is plenty.
I for one am glad to see it. There are some that are always pushing the limits which forces others to make more rules. Then they, the people responsible, never end up taking the heat for what they have done. Why don't we blame the people that really should be blamed for these changes?
Adam and Eve?
It's a very simple matter to transfer these "overtly sexual" apps to a more mature section of the App Store and wall them off with adult access.
This is something Apple should have done in the first place, now they appear like censorship nazi's and denying people's right to access to adult themed material.
Supposedly the human male thinks about sex a average of 6 times a day and is even willing to pay for sex. Adult themed material is a safe avenue to vent, rather than being sexual harassing to actual people or engaging in risky conduct.
Apple is trying to make the App Store pristine for a reason, the iPad and selling them to schools. It's perfectly understandable why nobody in their right mind wants any reference anything sexual in that environment. It's a shame that that small market is dictating what everyone else has to abide by when Apple could create walled sections by default in the App Store instead and cater to everyone.
What's going to happen when parent's complain about the religious Apps programming their children into being cultists?Apple has their right to do what they want with their App Store, including running it into the ground.
But they should learn from others who gone on the same path and tried censorship and found out it's a slippery slope. They should have walled sections as default and let people decide which "backroom content" they want to go into.
At least Steve didn't put a camera in the iPad yet, so the child predators in the schools can't use it to spy on the students in their bedrooms...
MacBooks used to spy