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Apple is rejecting apps that are related to the COVID-19 coronavirus that aren't provided by health organizations or government institutions, according to CNBC

appstorecoronavirus.jpg

Four independent developers that spoke to CNBC said that their coronavirus apps, which were designed to let people see stats about which countries have confirmed cases, had been rejected.

One developer was told over the phone by an Apple employee that anything related to the coronavirus needs to be released by an official health organization or government, while another received a notice that "apps with information about current medical information need to be submitted by a recognized institution."

Apple has been evaluating and rejecting coronavirus apps to prevent the spread of misinformation, looking at where the health data is sourced from and whether developers represent organizations that users can trust to publish accurate data.

Searches for coronavirus and COVID-19 on the App Store bring up few results, including a COVID-19 virus tracker from Healthlynked that uses World Health Organization data, the Epoch Times, and an app from the Brazilian government.

Other tech companies have taken similar steps to prevent the spread of misinformation. Facebook and Twitter have banned misleading coronavirus-related ads, and Amazon has banned coronavirus products and sellers attempting to price gouge on items like face masks and hand sanitizer.

Google also has a policy against apps that capitalize on a natural disaster or profit from a tragic event and there are no apps related to the coronavirus available from Google Play in the United States.

Article Link: Apple Rejecting Coronavirus Apps Not From Health or Government Organizations
 
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Are you saying that the CDC should be the only source for US data?

What do you suggest for the other 194 countries in the world? The equivalent government arms in each country?

The story says "not from governement sources. I suppose that would also allow British, French, Chinese information too. This is a pandemic. We need the scientists to tell us what to do, and what not to. Because they're scientists. When the pandemic is over, everybody can analyze what happened, using the data, and get a clearer picture for next time. This is dead serious. Quarantine involves giving up some freedom but it's the only way we can fight it until the vaccine is ready.
 
On one hand we don't want information being suppressed. At the same time, fake news for this kind of thing can get out of hand. It's a tricky situation.
 
right choice, need data from a single source ... in and for the US: CDC
The WHO just collects data from all national 'CDC's'. The American 'Centers for Disease Control and Prevention' therefore are just one of the national figures investigators. They enjoy a high international reputation. But they also depend on the doctors to cooperate perfectly. The World Health Organisation WHO (Geneva, Switzerland) collects the figures of the individual "CDCs" of the world and cannot publish anything better.
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Are you saying that the CDC should be the only source for US data?

What do you suggest for the other 194 countries in the world? The equivalent government arms in each country?
Russia makes the most obvious numbers game with the WHO's CDCs.
Russia manages its figures even better than America or China, after initial hesitation...

Read more on vanities of the nations; historical background knowledge on why countries obscure numbers (not only in wartime):
Screenshot 2020-03-06 at 05.28.11.png

Therefore it is quite reasonable that Apple bans further number masters.
 
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