Apple removes apps aiding protests: Difference between revisions

Apple has removed several apps that aid in protesting against governments. HKmap.live in China after a request from the Hong Kong Cybersecurity and Technology Crime Bureau.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-12-02 |title=Apple removes police-tracking app used in Hong Kong protests from its app store |url=https://hksar.org/apple-removes-police-tracking-app-used-in-hong-kong-protests-from-its-app-store |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=Hong Kong News}}</ref> Navalny in Russia after a threat to prosecute Apple's Russian employees.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Troianovski |first=Anton |last2=Satariano |first2=Adam |date=2021-09-17 |title=Google and Apple, Under Pressure From Russia, Remove Voting App |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/17/world/europe/russia-navalny-app-election.html |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=The New York Times}}</ref> ICEBlock and other similar apps in America after a request by the DOJ.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Oliver |first=Ashley |date=2025-10-02 |title=Apple takes down ICE tracking apps after pressure from Bondi DOJ |url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/apple-takes-down-ice-tracking-app-after-pressure-from-ag-bondi |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=Fox Business}}</ref>

HKmap.live was used by protesters to avoid police while protesting.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-10 |title=Apple removes HKmap.live app used by Hong Kong protesters under pressure from China |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/apple-hkmap-live-app-hong-kong-china-police-protesters-used-target-ambush-police-2019-10-10/ |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=CBS News}}</ref> The app compiles data from public sources to provide its users with information on tear gas use and police locations. Some of this data can include Telegram chats and user provided data.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-03 |title=Apple bans Hong Kong protest location app |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-49919459 |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mihalcik |first=Carrie |date=2019-10-10 |title=Apple pulls HKmap.live app used in Hong Kong protests |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/apple-pulls-hkmap-live-app-used-in-hong-kong-protests/ |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=CNET}}</ref>

Apple pulled down the app after the Hong Kong Cybersecurity and Technology Crime Bureau (CSTCB) “verified” with Apple that it was used to “target and ambush police, threaten public safety, and criminals have used it to victimize residents”.<ref name=":0" /> Although, no information on these claims have been provided to the public.

A case for a potential conflict of interest can be made with most of Apple’s assembly being in China.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nicas |first=Jack |date=2019-10-09 |title=Apple Removes App That Helps Hong Kong Protesters Track the Police |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/09/technology/apple-hong-kong-app.html |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=The New York Times}}</ref>

The Navalny app was run by Aleksei A. Navalny, a political opponent of the president Vladimir V. Putin. Russian protesters were going to use the app to coordinate votes against Vladimir V. Putin’s United Russia party.<ref name=":1" />

The app was removed from Apple’s app store in 2021 after Russia “threatened to prosecute local employees”. The app’s removal occurred just before voting started.<ref name=":1" />

ICEBlock was made to help users “avoid interactions with ICE” with features like being notified when an ICE officer has been spotted within 5 miles of the user.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Duffy |first=Clare |date=2025-07-01 |title='I wanted to do something to fight back': New app lets users know when ICE agents are in their area |url=https://abc7.com/post/iceblock-new-iphone-app-lets-users-know-when-ice-agents-are-area/16902392/ |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=Eyewitness News}}</ref>

ICEBlock and other similar apps in America after request by the DOJ as directed by Pam Boondie. "We reached out to Apple today demanding they remove the ICEBlock app from their App Store — and Apple did so," Bondi is quoted as saying to Fox News Digital.<ref name=":2" /> Information on what was said in the request is not publicly known. Further information is being requested by the Electronic Frontier Foundation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-11-20 |title=EFF Demands Answers About ICE-Spotting App Takedowns |url=https://www.eff.org/press/releases/eff-demands-answers-about-ice-spotting-app-takedowns |access-date=2025-12-02 |website=Electronic Frontier Foundation}}</ref>

ICEBlock’s creator, Joshua Aaron, pointed out how “ICEBlock… functions like other mapping applications that use crowd sourcing for speed traps”.<ref name=":2" />