Apple Draws Fire for Going “Down the Dark Road of Censorship”

Apple has been accused of “going down a dark and scary road” for rejecting iOS apps that address any topic the company deems “objectionable.” In recent years, Apple has rejected games and other apps focused on sweatshops, drone strikes, and the Syrian civil war solely because of the topic itself. In addition, commenters have noted that the policy has a chilling effect on developers and publishers, causing them to self-censor apps related to issues such as gay sexuality before even submitting the app for Apple’s approval. As a result, Apple has been loudly criticized for “bar[ring] thoughtful and intelligent political expression” on its platform, leading some developers to abandon the platform entirely.