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Apple Now Blocking 'Overtly Sexual' Apps from App Store
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Well, if you're allowing your kids to go on iTunes, clearly this means you've granted them access to a computer with internet connectivity. Let me guess, you've uninstalled all web browsers? If not, I assume you've placed the necessary restrictions on the browser, to prevent your children from wandering off into the grimy & obscure places of the internet, right?
I find it unlikely that you've gone to the extreme of removing web browsers, so it's safe to assume you've restricted your browser settings. What's the effing difference between that and adjusting the setting in iTunes??? You make no sense!
And I was pointing out that this isn't a free speech issue at all. There is no hypocrisy in their statement. One of the principal defenses of free speech is that if you don't like what someone is expressing you have the freedom to go elsewhere. Freedom of speech is not a compulsion to listen, nor to publish.
You're making assertions without basis. It could be as simple as not having gotten to the P's yet while rearranging the store. Or it could be that they view Playboy as a cultural icon while Wobble iBoobs is valueless. My point is merely that your view is not necessarily their view, and they get to make the call based on whatever criteria they choose.
If you don't think they are acting in the interest of the stockholders, you may vote your shares. I didn't say "senior officers", I said people in controlling positions. If you have enough shares, you qualify.
Yes we do. And we have the freedom to correct dogmatic arguments and to try to reign in hyperbole.
Well if you want iTunes to be an OK place for kids what's wrong with have iTunes being an OK place for adults then. Why must things always be reverted to the lowest common denominator penalising the majority. A toggle (which by the way is just what Google effectively do) is the best thing to help appease the minority while not infringing on the majority, and is the most iTunes should ever do to calm those hysterical complainants who then think its rational to subrogate their parental responsibilities to a corporate.
...or make up at the time. Because there definitely is some inconsistency in how these calls are being made.
Rather than just separate Adult store, I think they'd be best served if in iTunes you could create filters (such as "No Adult content", "Games over 99c", or "All free apps, but no Lite versions", "Arcade games, no Strategy games") which would apply to all views within the App Store. So if, for instance, you don't want adult content, it doesn't appear anywhere, not in the top selling lists, or Recently Added lists, or anywhere.
The benefit of this is that is clears away a lot of the clutter too. If I could filter all the app types that I know I'll never touch, the App Store would be a lot less unwieldy. I'd only ever see the types of apps I like.
My guess is that the problem from a parent's perspective is not "wandering". All kids at the right age begin to "wander" and explore. The problem is that these apps were flooding the App Store, in numerous categories. Trying to find a game to buy was like going to the redlight district to find a Quiznos. Creating a separate category for these apps, and then trying to enforce it would result in the same hard decision on Apple's part. And sure enough there would be one legitimate app in there, say some National Geographic app or something, and kids would find the perfect loophole to convince their parents to keep the parental controls turned off. Anyone remember the .porn or .xxx TLDs?
So, no one anywhere in the world should ever have access to these apps, just because some children might want one app that's in the restricted section? Seems a draconian solution to a minor problem.
I understand what you're saying about the 2-year contracts, but it comes back to point of freedom to choose. If they're that displeased, again, other options exist. But, are these folk unhappy enough to pay the penalty? Probably not. Keep in mind that almost everyone that owns the iPhone bought one because of the many things one can do with it. I highly doubt anyone got the iPhone solely because of the naughty apps they could one day put into it. If that's the case, well then, that' s just whack! I doubt there's a bigger porn addict in the world than myself, but I'd never buy a phone and sign a contract because of the access I'll have to porn. I have a computer at home that provides me better content on a much bigger screen.
At the risk of dividing the App Store...
I really wish that Apple allowed a mature content filter for those old enough to make their own decisions.
I get that many people don't like sexual stuff. I happen to be a fan of it. I'm married and my wife is cool with it.
I completely agree with people who don't want to see it in the regular app store (if you haven't opted in). Most of those apps are lame and they end up clogging up the entire store lists. On the other hand, maybe there could be a really cool strip poker game on the app store and if I'm alright with seeing those things (and am over.. I dunno... 21 to make it safe), then just let me.
I get if this was one of many stores for the iPhone and I could choose to go to one that has what I want, but with Apple's complete control over what gets in, I think it's fair for them to allow mature content to mature people.
I really wish that Apple allowed a mature content filter for those old enough to make their own decisions.
I get that many people don't like sexual stuff. I happen to be a fan of it. I'm married and my wife is cool with it.
I completely agree with people who don't want to see it in the regular app store (if you haven't opted in). Most of those apps are lame and they end up clogging up the entire store lists. On the other hand, maybe there could be a really cool strip poker game on the app store and if I'm alright with seeing those things (and am over.. I dunno... 21 to make it safe), then just let me.
I get if this was one of many stores for the iPhone and I could choose to go to one that has what I want, but with Apple's complete control over what gets in, I think it's fair for them to allow mature content to mature people.
Thank god, now I can finally use my iTampon without thinking about an iVagina.
Now all Apple needs to do is find a way to remove breasts from women in RL too!
Now all Apple needs to do is find a way to remove breasts from women in RL too!
As someone who worked at Target in the early days of college to help pay the bills (then again, who didn't work at Target? lol), I actually had the fortune of working in the electronics department, which also included the magazine/book sections.
During electronics meetings, it would occasionally come up as to why Target didn't sell the likes of Playboy, and the reason management would usually give had nothing to do with morality, or a lack of desire to make money off said products. According to what they told us at the time, it actually had more to do with the fact that sexual content/media tends to have a high theft rate, which is why those companies that do offer it, often have to provide some type of special location to keep it so that it won't be stolen (you think book stores keep them behind the counter because they don't want kids viewing it? Yeah, right...)
Anyway, we were told that they didn't see the justification in having a separate location solely for such content. They had thought about it before though, and apparently some Targets had even run pilot projects to see how well it worked (similar to alcohol - Target's policy for a long time was to not sell it, but slowly as pilot projects succeeded, they added alcohol to more and more stores, until these days you can finally see it in practically every Target).
Ultimately, I guessing the pilot projects weren't that successful, so it was also probably a financial factor into why they don't.
It's certainly not on "moral ground" though, lol.
But you can't really call it "freedom" to chose when it comes at the cost of a punitive ETF.
I agree it's unlikely anyone would buy an iPhone just for the naughty apps, but it's a feature (which has been prominently displayed on the app store for some time) that was present when the contract was signed and is now gone. Albeit the contract was signed with AT&T - which muddies the waters a bit.
How about booking a first cass flight with the promise of a vegetarian meal, but when you get to the airport it's chicken of beef only. You're free to swap to another carrier, but that will cost you a change fee. Not very customer friendly, is it?
You mean like the filters they already have? Just look in the prefs - they're there.
Thank you Apple
It was frustrating to see adult content when browsing the app store. Even when you enable parental controls...you get blocked out of apps like eBay. I'd be ok with an adult content section, but keep it out of the "Top 25".
It was frustrating to see adult content when browsing the app store. Even when you enable parental controls...you get blocked out of apps like eBay. I'd be ok with an adult content section, but keep it out of the "Top 25".
I wholeheartedly agree. I think if Apple really believed that they could pull this off without making their platform appear to be the perfect gateway for adult-related apps for consenting adults, they would do so. They would sell more software and iPhone owners would have an (arguably) more useful device.
Another industry that has solved this is the home media industry. DVD players are (also arguably) a "great" way to watch adult entertainment at home. Everyone knows this. Except there is a whole DVD distribution industry that is positioned to not publicly market this as a selling point for the platform. Most mainstream DVD outlets (Best Buy, Walmart) flat-out don't sell adult DVDs. Adult DVD sellers employ minimum age door policies, and online outlets require a credit card to purchase discs. The marketing and selling of adult DVDs is so separate from mainstream DVDs that most buyers of DVD players don't even consider the fact that they are buying a device which would be ideal for watching adult videos.
Apple is in the uncomfortable position of being both the DVD player maker and the DVD disc seller. They advertise the hardware product and the third-party software as being one in the same. They avoided saturation and employed effective quality control by controlling the only store on the platform.
It is pretty obvious now that they are having difficulty as individual market segments are starting to pop up with more specific needs (those who want adult apps, bookstores, those that sell background apps). This is a direct result of the iPhone being such as successful device. The iPad will only make this worse, and its real success as a revolutionary device will rest on this problem being at least partly solved.
In my mind, an ideal solution would be to franchise the App Store. Apple can be the Walmart and only sell what it morally approves. I would love to see Amazon sell iPhone Apps. They probably wouldn't feature iBoobs apps either. Perhaps CNET or someone could run an App Store like Cydia with fewer restrictions on functionality or sell apps that might "break your phone". (Maybe eBay would let people resell apps they no longer use!) Apple could still screen all the apps for all the stores for bugs and security. Parents could choose what stores they wish to allow on their children's phones. And someone could open a mature App Store, too. And, if a store gets out of hand, Apple could just pull their franchise license.
Do we almost see an on-screen image slowly evolving into a resemblance of SJ, all while the motionless masses watch his universal message of obedience.... Where is the freedom runner, our new messiah of liberty? Surely her chest wouldn't be thumping up and down as she races towards the screen.
Just allow any content, and rate it just like they do with Motion Pictures! Then it will be the same as the internet -- anything is available, so why should the app store be ANY different? Or is Apple going to start filtering Safari content too and become like Communist China?!
Guns and killing so good for your sole
Its true killing and violence is so much better for your soul than looking at a beautiful girl naked or not. By the way isn't there a glut of naked women in any art gallery around the world. So if your naked your evil but if you get painted naked your not. That is really thinking different.
Its true killing and violence is so much better for your soul than looking at a beautiful girl naked or not. By the way isn't there a glut of naked women in any art gallery around the world. So if your naked your evil but if you get painted naked your not. That is really thinking different.
You make me want to scour the Le Louvre app and see if some of the nekked chicks from that museum made it into the program.
We live in a world gone mad
On a private contractual business website people think nudity is "free speech" and its exclusion is censorship.
The whole country is mad because nine judges decided that political speech (idea, thoughts messages) should be free.
By confusing the puerile with the political people cannot seem to remember why we have free speech to begin with - to protect the dissemination of ideas both popular and unpopular. Porn isn't speech, its just porn.
Apple had to make a decision about this, and they are making a tough call, but I think one the far far majority of their users will agree with. Not all their users, but most are going to be happy.
Other options such as an adult only store are good ideas, but then Apple is explicitly in the porn business instead of implicitly like now. I don't think they want to deal with that.
Apple also does not have XXX movies on iTunes, I never heard alot of complaints about that.
On a private contractual business website people think nudity is "free speech" and its exclusion is censorship.
The whole country is mad because nine judges decided that political speech (idea, thoughts messages) should be free.
By confusing the puerile with the political people cannot seem to remember why we have free speech to begin with - to protect the dissemination of ideas both popular and unpopular. Porn isn't speech, its just porn.
Apple had to make a decision about this, and they are making a tough call, but I think one the far far majority of their users will agree with. Not all their users, but most are going to be happy.
Other options such as an adult only store are good ideas, but then Apple is explicitly in the porn business instead of implicitly like now. I don't think they want to deal with that.
Apple also does not have XXX movies on iTunes, I never heard alot of complaints about that.
People still buy porn? And if they did I don't think that person would want their e-mail tied to a copy of Debbie Does Dallas.
The next thing that'll happen is that these concerned mothers will take away my complex story lines because they have a Fantasy theme.
Please, don't let the industry become Australia. If people want to be perverted, let them be.
Please, don't let the industry become Australia. If people want to be perverted, let them be.