Apple removes apps aiding protests: Difference between revisions

[[Apple]] has removed several apps from the App Store that were used to organize anti-government protests. In 2019, following criticism from the Chinese state newspaper, Apple removed HKmap.live, an app that allowed users to view the location of protests, police sightings, and tear gas incidents on a live map.<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/ |url-status=live |access-date=2025-12-03 |website=CNET |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250311101721/https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/apple-pulls-hkmap-live-app-used-in-hong-kong-protests/ |archive-date=11 Mar 2025}}</ref> In 2021, Apple removed Navalny, used to coordinate protest voting, after threats were made to prosecute Russian Apple 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 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260115192857/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/17/world/europe/russia-navalny-app-election.html |archive-date=15 Jan 2026}}</ref> In October 2025, Apple removed ICEBlock, an app used to locate and report the presence of immigration officers, as well as other similar apps following 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 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260211164203/https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/apple-takes-down-ice-tracking-app-after-pressure-from-ag-bondi |archive-date=11 Feb 2026}}</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 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251008045754/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/apple-hkmap-live-app-hong-kong-china-police-protesters-used-target-ambush-police-2019-10-10/ |archive-date=8 Oct 2025}}</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 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251215220826/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-49919459 |archive-date=15 Dec 2025}}</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 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250311101721/https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/apple-pulls-hkmap-live-app-used-in-hong-kong-protests/ |archive-date=11 Mar 2025}}</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", although no information on these claims have been provided to the public.<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 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20201028222910/https://hksar.org/apple-removes-police-tracking-app-used-in-hong-kong-protests-from-its-app-store |archive-date=28 Oct 2020}}</ref>

A case for a potential conflict of interest can be made, as 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 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251213175854/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/09/technology/apple-hong-kong-app.html |archive-date=13 Dec 2025}}</ref>

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 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260216000301/https://abc7.com/post/iceblock-new-iphone-app-lets-users-know-when-ice-agents-are-area/16902392/ |archive-date=16 Feb 2026}}</ref>

ICEBlock and other similar apps in America after request by the DOJ as directed by Attorney General Pam Bondi. "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 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260211043832/https://www.eff.org/press/releases/eff-demands-answers-about-ice-spotting-app-takedowns |archive-date=11 Feb 2026}}</ref>