As social meshing race to hold in the spread of misinformation about COVID-19 andAmazon tries to weed out price - gouging Purell listings , Apple is taking its own posture : rejecting coronavirus apps submitted by iOS app developers who are n’t affiliated with official wellness establishment or governments , CNBC report .
https://gizmodo.com/amazon-bans-1-million-products-falsely-claiming-to-cure-1841972605
A hunt for coronavirus in the iOS App Store become up a few official health apps and a few game have-to doe with to viruses . But four app developer told CNBC they examine to bow apps that make use of World Health Organization data to help people track the gap of COVID-19 , only to be reject by Apple .
Illustration: AP
According to CNBC , at least one developer received a write observance from Apple that “ apps with info about current aesculapian data postulate to be submitted by a recognized institution . ”
The developers are miffed , particularly single who have reconcile apps with gamey military rank in the past . But Apple recently updated itsApp Store Guidelines , and it would seem that the most late addition would cover coronavirus - concern apps :
“ Apps that allow services in highly - baffle fields ( such as banking and fiscal help , health care , and air travel ) or that require raw user information should be take by a sound entity that provide the services , and not by an single developer . ”
Fighting misinformation about the coronavirus is like playing knock - a - counterspy forsome companies , but Apple is capable to stanch the tide before a dumb app gains traction and convinces mass thatvodka can supercede hired hand sanitizerif you just wish well hard enough . If the party does , in fact , ask developer to be affiliated with official health organizations or governing , it ’s honestly not the worst thing to ever happen . It might actually be a good , wise conclusion that forbid harm .
The argument against this is that Apple has too much baron over the apps allowed in the App Store . In many cases , that argument holds water . During a public wellness crisis in which misinformation could literally cause decease ? Maybe not .
Google also has rulesfor its Google Play store that prevent apps that capitalize on natural disaster or tragic event . research for coronavirus results in zero results .
Gizmodo has reached out to Apple for remark and will update this level with a reply .
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