After nearly 150,000 signatures protesting the so-called “gay cure” app, Apple removed it from its App Store.
[ad#Google Adsense 300×250 in story]”We removed the Exodus International app from the Apple Store because it violates our developer guidelines by being offensive to large groups of people,” An Apple spokesman said.
The makers of the app, Exodus International, says its app “is committed to encouraging, educating and equipping the Body of Christ to address the issue of homosexuality with grace and truth.”
But that’s certainly not how everyone sees the app. The people who organized the petition against the app see it quite differently.
“Exodus’ message is hateful and bigoted,” according to the petition. “They claim to offer ‘freedom from homosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ’ and use scare tactics, misinformation, stereotypes and distortions of LGBT life to recruit clients. They endorse the use of so-called ‘reparative therapy’ to ‘change’ the sexual orientation of their clients.”
Censorship is lame, period. In the time it took to petition Apple to remove the app, someone could have built a GayFacts app that simply refutes the gay cure app.
I thought I would share some fun proof that iphone apps can use their power for good, and that controversy doesn’t have to be harmful. You could do a piece that really does question the “offensiveness” clause. It’s tough to regulate humor…particularly when it comes to religion and politics.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/afterlife-afterpart…
http://www.prlog.org/11388048-new-afterlife-afterp…
It would be nice to do a piece on apps that are harmless fun that aren’t traditional games for kids. This one is pretty good bait for a debate on what’s serious….and what’s not. Free speech and opinion shouldn’t be squashed- all you have to do is not buy the thing if you don’t find it entertaining.
I wonder if we can convince Apple that Angry Birds “offends large groups of people.”
If this crap offends you – don’t download it. WTF is wrong with people?
If my wife found out I helped with that effort it would put my life in danger.
Yeah, I really don’t like how Apple has been using the great unwashed Internet as its moral compass. If this app was legitimately bad, it should have been caught in review. If this app was fine, it shouldn’t’ve been removed because of internet outrage.
I don’t see this as censorship. It’s actually protection of a minority that all too often is the target for hatred and abuse. The kinds of messages this app was delivering (apart from being fundamentally flawed – You can’t “cure” gays) only alienate people and cause serious psychological problems that can lead to life-long self loathing and even suicide. I think we all have a responsibility to shield the vulnerable from those who seek to prey on them. Would this even be a question is this app had been anti-semetic or racist in nature?
Progressives’ divide their time between praising “diversity” and “tolerance,” and trying to legislate against and regulate behavior they disapprove. Political correctness is the oppression of the majority by the minority.
If you have an app that is anti-X and an app that is pro-X, most people aren’t ok with that. anti-X people see the pro-X app and get offended and boycott Apple. Pro-X people see the anti-X app, get offended, and boycott Apple.
It’s in Apple’s best interest to keep controversial apps off the store. It doesn’t spark intelligent debate, it only breeds hatred. Apple is smart and well within their rights to get rid of this.
You couldn’t be more wrong. Progressives (let’s face it, you really mean Liberals) believe in freedom as long as it doesn’t infringe upon the rights of others. When someone has to lie and defraud people (curing gays, really?) to get their point across, they believe it crosses the line from simply stating an opinion to infringing. And I don’t see anyone trying to pass laws to shut down the organization (wishing they’d go away is another thing), so there’s no legislating or regulating going on here. Conservatives often trot out this argument, but have yet to really back it up. Quoting a few liberals who may hold this opinion is not representative of their opinion as a whole. You’re only attacking the individual rather than their position.
But this has nothing to do with Apple’s decision. Controversial apps are bad for business. That’s why it was pulled.
Apple can pull anything from the App Store for any reason. It doesn’t need to justify its actions, and shouldn’t.
Oh, absolutely. It’s the process I wonder at.
Either Apple feels they made the wrong decision initially, or the mob scared them into doing something they disagree with. Or they were on the fence to begin with.
It sounds like Apple now feels the initial approval was a mistake, which is probably the best option of the three.
It’s not censorship in the sense of violating the First Amendment because that applies to Governments not private companies.
Apple is free to sell or not sell what they wish. For whatever reasons they wish. They are breaking no laws so long as the materials are not legally ‘obscene’.
So you would rather that one or perhaps 5 people’s opinions determine what goes in the store in such cases. What if that one person was a racist prick that still believes that Blacks are inherently stupid and lesser persons and women should legally be beat by their husbands and not allowed to hold a superior job position.
Would you want that person deciding what is okay and what is not
I would say let them express their opinion no matter how controversial. Nobody is deciding what is ok, its just their opinion. Someone could have built a GayFacts app that simply refutes the gay cure app.
By censoring and cutting off debate you are growing ignorance, the every thing you are protesting here.
Like I said above, censoring and cutting off debate you are growing ignorance.
Also, not too sure its a smart business decision as you say, you are only looking at anit-x vs pr-x.
But I would say “most” people are against censorship, you say they should not let people have controversial views because people would leave yet, censorship is the most touchy subject for “most” people.
I’m tired of apple telling me what apps I can and can’t use, It annoyed me when the took of my wiki leaks app,
I’m getting an android. Point being, even if they have a right to censor, its not cool and not smart.
You are so focused on people leaving over controversial apps, its funny you fail to realize more people are leaving over “censorship” which breeds ignorance.
I suppose if in this legal situation you support censorship, you must also be against the First Amendment by deduction.
Even though they have the right to do it, you would support ignorance, figures.
By the way, current “mainstream” Liberals are diametrically opposed to what a Liberal was a hundred or so years ago.
Say it with me, “censorship breeds ignorance”. Its like avoiding those important family talks that you need to have.
Signed, Libertarian.
Aside of the whole “It’s Apple’s store and they can refuse whatever they want to refuse” there is also the whole “Apple approved the app so they must approve of the condition” assumption that can be made. And Apple is a very Gay friendly company so no way would they approve of such a message
it’s Apple’s store. They can include or not whatever they want and it is no more censoring than Walmart refusing to carry Hustler.
If you have an issue with that go right ahead and never buy anything Apple every again. or ever shop at Walmart