Apple Bans Wikileaks App from iPhones

[elehhhhna]

Apple Bans Wikileaks App from iPhones
Apple banned the Wikileaks iPhone app, determining it could hurt people, or is illegal, or both. The company didn't actually specify why 73 million iPhone owners are forbidden from using the app, but did coyly hint at the reason

http://gawker.com/

[villager]

1. Whatever you do, don't "think different!"

n/t

[mmonk]

2. Don't people know when you try to ban something, everybody

tries that much harder to access it?

[tomm2thumbs]

12. +1

[emulatorloo]

17. Don't you know you can still read wikileaks on IPhone if you want to?

The only thing different is that iPhone App Store doesn't sell a Wikileaks App at the app store. Probably a legal team decision. Nothing has been "banned."

[Occulus]

30. Everyone here knows that and you're the only one implying otherwise.

"Nothing has been "banned."

This app has, as will, presumably, any other app that involves Wikileaks in some way. I can guarantee you here and now that any other app specifically "for" Wikileaks will also be removed. It doesn't matter what this one particular did or did not do- this was a shot across the bow and a heads-up to developers that WIkileaks is not welcome on the App Store.

Gah... sometimes the Apple fanboys' behavior is worse than that of the company itself....

[emulatorloo]

32. Cut the "fanboy" shit. I am seeing a lot of disinformation, claims that Apple 'banned" WikiLeaks

or is "Censoring" Wikileaks - that's total bull shit. It doesn't matter how loud you yell or how much outrage you exhibit, the claim is completely preposterous

[fatbuckel]

44. Cut and paste from the op

Apple "Bans" Wikileaks App from iPhones
Apple "banned" the Wikileaks iPhone app, determining it could hurt people, or is illegal, or both....


Nothing banned,huh?

[HEyHEY]

37. I couldn't hear you, I was busy calling around for weed.

[mmonk]

39. LOL

[rucky]

3. Thank god for net neutrality!

[Cleita]

4. Well, I was deciding whether to get an iPhone or other

next year, but I guess that makes the decision easier, if true. I don't want to be censored by anyone or any corporation.

[emulatorloo]

18. Cleita

Just because the app store choses not sell a specific "WikiLeaks" app does not mean you can't read wikiLeaks on an iPhone.

There is a lot of misinformation on DU about these kinds of issues.

My guess is apple legal said pull this from their store. The app is just a mini-web browser that connects with the wikileaks mobile page.


However I can still read wikileaks on my iPod through the built in web-browser. And I do not have to pay $1.99 to some guy in Russia to do so.

[tomm2thumbs]

40. good for you - a company refusing apps on their phone for controversial politics deserves no users

Censorship is censorship

It's bad enough they won't let Flash operate on the iPhone which in turn disables tens of thousands of helpful operations of the internet, including crime statistic readers & timelines in important news articles, etc. Apple has long tried to put a wall up around their products. Some call it fear, and others call it paranoia.

I call it censorship.

[treestar]

5. More victimization of poor Julian

And a new reason to get into the news!

[eShirl]

6. How ironic is Apple's 1984 Superbowl ad now?

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/261002/1796381

[obxhead]

8. Any chance you have that in a youtube link?

That link is taking ages to load.

[EFerrari]

10. Here's one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhsWzJo2sN4

[eShirl]

13. thanks! n/t

[obxhead]

28. Thanks nt

[EFerrari]

9. Wow.

That needs to go viral.

[emulatorloo]

21. Why?

Sorry I know I am sounding like a broken record here

- WikiLeaks App is basically a mini-web browser that connected to the wikileaks mobile page. It was developed by Igor Barinov and cost $1.99

- The iPod, iPhone, and iPad come with a "free" web browser that connects to the wikileaks website just fine

The notion that Apple is "censoring" wikileaks is preposterous. I have wikileaks page up now on my iPod Touch.

If we want to worry about the "censoring" of wikileaks we need to keep our eyes on the ISPs.

[EFerrari]

43. There is a right side to this debate and Apple just went in the other direction.

That was their choice.

[emulatorloo]

19. So according to you I can't read WikiLeaks on my iPod? Funny it is on my screen right now

There seems to be some confusion on DU about the iPhone App store somehow limiting somthing or another.

I don't need some lame "WikiLeak" app - I am reading it on my iPod's web browser. I do not need to pay "Igor Barinov" $1.99 for his mini-browser.

My guess is Apple legal pulled the app for some reason. That does mean Apple is "censoring" anything.

[eShirl]

35. I'm not your puppet, so please don't put words in my mouth.

[tomm2thumbs]

41. my guess is

someone could be paying someone to sprinkle words in all of our mouths

<g>


good for you - you tell'em!

[Drale]

7. Probably just trying to cover their ass

this way they can say when the repuke house comes knocking that they didn't do anything wrong in the eyes of crazy people.

[gmoney]

26. No, it's probably simpler that they're not sure of the legality, so they're saying "no" to the app.

As several have pointed out here, you can still read Wikileaks using your web browser. It's just that they won't approve a specific application for it due to the questionable legal status.

Just like I don't think you'll see a BitTorrent App on the iPhone... it's not censorship, but they don't want to be in the position of providing a tool to violate copyright.

Lighten up.

[tomm2thumbs]

11. talk about a technology company turning into a censoring board

Time to get a real user-friendly phone that lets you view Flash and the FULL internet, not a selected buffet of what Apple thinks is worthy.

Wondering how Jobs sleeps at night

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Very well thank you

and I doubt that was his decision. I am betting legal said it was on the edge...

[emulatorloo]

16. I think you are right about legal dept

[emulatorloo]

15. Hate to break it to you, you can still read WikiLeaks on the iPhone

You just can't buy WikiLeaks apps from Apple APP store.

[emulatorloo]

20. "Wikileaks app is just an in-app browser that brings you to the wikileaks mobile page."

That's from a description here:

http://crenk.com/unofficial-wikileak-iphone-app-live-and-ready-to-download/

So you can still use Safari to connect to the wikileaks mobile page. And I do not have to pay some guy in Russia two dollars to do so.

[Elwood P Dowd]

22. The Apple haters don't want to know that.

Apple bashing is cool with a certain segment of the population, including some here. Don't let the truth get in the way of their fun.

[emulatorloo]

24. Seems crazy though

[REP]

29. "Those grapes were sour anyway"

I see a lot of "no way am I going to buy an iPhone now!" from those in no position to afford one, too.

And yes, I have Wikileaks up on my iPad right now.

[fatbuckel]

45. Apple bashers sound like Repubs

[MilesColtrane]

23. There's a workaround for that.

Launch Safari on your iPhone.

Key in http://www.wikileaks.org

Read

Voila

[boppers]

25. That redirects to an old version of the site.

http://www.wikileaks.ch/Mirrors.html lists the current live sites.

All 1,426 of them.

[MilesColtrane]

27. Thanks.

I didn't notice the date on the page that came up.

That fucker Steve Jobs must be responsible.

[boppers]

31. I hear he's behind global warming, too.

Oh, and I think he's the one stealing my socks out of the laundry, as well.

[emulatorloo]

34. Damn I thought that was you.

[bluestate10]

33. Soaking my shorts with joy. The news is nirvana. nt.

[Odin2005]

36. Apple has become what it mocked in 1984.

[tomm2thumbs]

42. exactly - they have now turned from outsider, to walled-insider

no longer an innovator when you have to wall off sections of technology that threaten you

Flash applications online being just one of them

[JCMach1]

38. Yet another reason to tell Apple to frak off!