Apple reportedly rejecting coronavirus apps not developed by recognized institutions

AppleInsider

In what appears to be a bid to halt the spread of misinformation, Apple is restricting distribution of apps related to COVID-19 to recognized health agencies and institutions, a report said Thursday.

App Store searches for "coronavirus" and "COVID-19" return apps developed by established organizations.

While Apple has yet announce hard and fast App Store rules regarding apps that provide information about the coronavirus outbreak, four independent developers told CNBC that their software was rejected because it lacked backing from an official health agency or public entity.

Apple reportedly told one developer that all apps related to COVID-19 must be published by a health organization or government. Another developer received an email from Apple saying, "Apps with information about current medical information need to be submitted by a recognized institution."

Origin, and not content, appears to be a major deciding factor in Apple's decision making process. According to the report, some denied apps incorporated publicly available information from established sources like the World Health Organization (WHO). Citing a person familiar with the matter, the report says App Store editors are evaluating apps based on where a title's health data originates and whether the publishing developer is associated with a trusted organization.

A keyword search of "coronavirus" currently delivers only a handful of pertinent results including an ad for The Epoch Times, a tracking app created by the Brazilian government and a free mobile resource developed by Unbound Medicine called "Relief Central." The "HealthLynked COVID-19 Tracker," which incorporates data from WHO, DXY, Worldometer and Johns Hopkins, is the top result for "COVID-19," followed by the aforementioned "Relief Central" app.

Developers who saw their apps rejected said Apple cited App Store guideline 5.2.1, which states "apps should be submitted by the person or legal entity that owns or has licensed the intellectual property and other relevant rights." Further, Apple on Wednesday updated its App Store rules to include a new policy, 5.1.1.ix, that requires apps associated with "highly-regulated" fields to be submitted by a "legal entity that provides the services, and not by an individual developer."

Apple's steps to limit the spread of misinformation on the App Store follows similar initiatives by Amazon, Google, Facebook and Twitter. For example, Google Play prohibits distribution of apps that "capitalize on a natural disaster," and searches for coronavirus-related titles yielded no results on Thursday. Facebook and Twitter have instituted blanket bans on misleading virus ads, while Amazon last week said it is monitoring its storefront for price gougers. The latter effort seems to be floundering, however, as numerous listings show grossly inflated prices for a variety of everyday items like hand sanitizers, Recode reports.

baconstang

Now if YouTube and FB would do the same...

lkrupp

Good for you, Apple.

dysamoria

Good. More such regulation needed everywhere. 

9secondkox2

Soon we will all be spoon fed only what certain cabals want us to believe. 

/sarcasm. 

I think that as this is a new development, some extra care is warranted. 

But it’s tricky to navigate as you don’t want to censor competing information, that while may not be in favor by some groups, may in fact be accurate. 

lkrupp

9secondkox2 said:

Soon we will all be spoon fed only what certain cabals want us to believe. 

/sarcasm. 

I think that as this is a new development, some extra care is warranted. 

But it’s tricky to navigate as you don’t want to censor competing information, that while may not be in favor by some groups, may in fact be accurate. 

"Competing information"? What the hell is that? Are flat-earthers, moon landing deniers, 9/11 conspiracies, Holocaust deniers, anti-vaccers, science deniers, et al, just offering "competing information" that we get to choose from as the truth. Heaven help us if that's what you are talking about. There's already enough misinformation and flat out lying going on in this epidemic. I would rather censor the bullshit and allow the researchers and health professionals tell me what's going than some talking head on a news channel, or some snake oil salesman telling me to buy his cure.

Beats

lkrupp said:

9secondkox2 said:

Soon we will all be spoon fed only what certain cabals want us to believe. 

/sarcasm. 

I think that as this is a new development, some extra care is warranted. 

But it’s tricky to navigate as you don’t want to censor competing information, that while may not be in favor by some groups, may in fact be accurate. 

"Competing information"? What the hell is that? Are flat-earthers, moon landing deniers, 9/11 conspiracies, Holocaust deniers, anti-vaccers, science deniers, et al, just offering "competing information" that we get to choose from as the truth. Heaven help us if that's what you are talking about. There's already enough misinformation and flat out lying going on in this epidemic. I would rather censor the bullshit and allow the researchers and health professionals tell me what's going than some talking head on a news channel, or some snake oil salesman telling me to buy his cure.

The government does not have the people in their best interests. These apps must be from the government and public organisations. These are terrible people to put your trust in. I mean look at how the Chinese government handled this.

lkrupp

Beats said:

lkrupp said:

9secondkox2 said:

Soon we will all be spoon fed only what certain cabals want us to believe. 

/sarcasm. 

I think that as this is a new development, some extra care is warranted. 

But it’s tricky to navigate as you don’t want to censor competing information, that while may not be in favor by some groups, may in fact be accurate. 

"Competing information"? What the hell is that? Are flat-earthers, moon landing deniers, 9/11 conspiracies, Holocaust deniers, anti-vaccers, science deniers, et al, just offering "competing information" that we get to choose from as the truth. Heaven help us if that's what you are talking about. There's already enough misinformation and flat out lying going on in this epidemic. I would rather censor the bullshit and allow the researchers and health professionals tell me what's going than some talking head on a news channel, or some snake oil salesman telling me to buy his cure.

The government does not have the people in their best interests. These apps must be from the government and public organisations. These are terrible people to put your trust in. I mean look at how the Chinese government handled this.

cat52 said:

lkrupp said:

 "Competing information"? What the hell is that? Are flat-earthers, moon landing deniers, 9/11 conspiracies, Holocaust deniers, anti-vaccers, science deniers, et al, just offering "competing information" that we get to choose from as the truth. Heaven help us if that's what you are talking about. There's already enough misinformation and flat out lying going on in this epidemic. I would rather censor the bullshit and allow the researchers and health professionals tell me what's going than some talking head on a news channel, or some snake oil salesman telling me to buy his cure.

 I would be very wary of only relying on "official" sources.

I mean, there's a reason no one ever took Pravda seriously...

Gimme a break. So you are going to listen to some deranged asshole pontificating from his RV in the New Mexico desert? I just watched a CBS documentary called "The War on Science" and this line of thought is right here in this thread. If you are "wary" of NIH, the CDC, the WHO, and Johns Hopkins researchers then there's no hope for you. you might as well find that guy in the desert I mentioned and listen to him.

lkrupp

cat52 said:

lkrupp said:

Beats said:

lkrupp said:

9secondkox2 said:

Soon we will all be spoon fed only what certain cabals want us to believe. 

/sarcasm. 

I think that as this is a new development, some extra care is warranted. 

But it’s tricky to navigate as you don’t want to censor competing information, that while may not be in favor by some groups, may in fact be accurate. 

"Competing information"? What the hell is that? Are flat-earthers, moon landing deniers, 9/11 conspiracies, Holocaust deniers, anti-vaccers, science deniers, et al, just offering "competing information" that we get to choose from as the truth. Heaven help us if that's what you are talking about. There's already enough misinformation and flat out lying going on in this epidemic. I would rather censor the bullshit and allow the researchers and health professionals tell me what's going than some talking head on a news channel, or some snake oil salesman telling me to buy his cure.

The government does not have the people in their best interests. These apps must be from the government and public organisations. These are terrible people to put your trust in. I mean look at how the Chinese government handled this.

cat52 said:

lkrupp said:

 "Competing information"? What the hell is that? Are flat-earthers, moon landing deniers, 9/11 conspiracies, Holocaust deniers, anti-vaccers, science deniers, et al, just offering "competing information" that we get to choose from as the truth. Heaven help us if that's what you are talking about. There's already enough misinformation and flat out lying going on in this epidemic. I would rather censor the bullshit and allow the researchers and health professionals tell me what's going than some talking head on a news channel, or some snake oil salesman telling me to buy his cure.

 I would be very wary of only relying on "official" sources.

I mean, there's a reason no one ever took Pravda seriously...

Gimme a break. So you are going to listen to some deranged asshole pontificating from his RV in the New Mexico desert? I just watched a CBS documentary called "The War on Science" and this line of thought is right here in this thread. If you are "wary" of NIH, the CDC, the WHO, and Johns Hopkins researchers then there's no hope for you. you might as well find that guy in the desert I mentioned and listen to him.

Interesting...

So you believe the only choices are the CDC vs some guy in his RV from New Mexico, and nothing in between?

Funny, but the scientific method itself requires peer review. But why do peer review when you can just trust what you've been told. Much easier that way, less thinking involved.

As an aside, one of the reasons why I'm such a big Apple fan, is because Steve Jobs blazed his own trail and didn't just follow the crowd... But not everyone shares that mentality.

Yeah, and Jobs was a science denier. He tried to cure his cancer by eating a special diet. He bought into the pseudoscience of homeopathy. And because of his stupidity and "blazing his own trail" he died after it was too late to do anything about it.  And "peer review"? What peer reviews are coming forth that contradict what the professionals are saying? Do you believe the universe is only 5000 years old? There are millions who do. Are they "peers" of the scientific community and therefore their views are "competing information?" 

cmaus

Thanks God! A ministry of truth!
Now we won't risk being misinformed! 🤦‍♂️