Apple Says It Doesn't Approve of EU Porn App

[steve09090]

I‘ve just (over the weekend) migrated from iOS to an Android phone, so I now know what I‘m talking about 😉

Cool. So this thread shouldn’t interest you any more…

I 100% agree. There should be restrictions or blocks for under 18, however once you're legally an adult, then have at it!

Why 18? Why not 25 or 15? Who gave anyone the ability to decide this. Different countries have different morality laws. 27 different countries in the EU and they all look at things a little differently. And Apple now have the extra burden to having to enforce that.

Exactly. The company (in the case Apple) doesn't really care. Apple employees are human and have kids and don't want their children to see adult material. The adults however should get a choice what they consume.

What about for Adults who want children to have access? Isn’t that what this app is for? It’s a 'gateway' app.

So much overreacting here

This is going to have no impact on anything at all

Some will download AltStore for this app, almost everyone will not ... meanwhile the Earth will continue to spin as people continue their normal access to porn on their iPhone or iPad through a web browser

This whole topic is such a mountain out of a molehill situation

Apple doesn't "approve" of porn ... oh no!
I don't "approve" of how Tim spends his political dollars ... that also means bubkes

Apple haven’t said that.

They said "We are deeply concerned about the safety risks that hardcore porn apps of this type create for EU users, especially kids".

Do you disagree? And if you were in the position of Apple, who have a definite responsibility to the ecosystem, you’d happily allow this with the risks it provides?

Pathetic on Apple’s part. And I bet they Streisand effected it too

You think the risk to children is acceptable then. Got it. Because thats what Apple said, and you think that’s pathetic.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Do you disagree?

I do, yes

I'm not worried in the slightest as the App has gone through Apple's Notarization process checking for malware, fraud, and other egregious issues

Further, all manner of porn is always available in Apple's own web browser on every device

Porn is and has been wildly accessible from moment one (of the wider Internet era) on all Apple's platforms

I'm not worried here at all, no

 

[steve09090]

I do, yes

I'm not worried in the slightest as the App has gone through Apple's Notarization process checking for malware, fraud, and other egregious issues

Further, all manner of porn is always available in Apple's own web browser on every device

Porn is and has been wildly accessible from moment one (of the wider Internet era) on all Apple's platforms

I'm not worried here at all, no

So you don't think there is a risk that children will access these apps or you don't care? Which one?

Edit: Nevermind. Just re-read it. You don't care if kids access it via the app.

 

[turbineseaplane]

No interest at all in Apple being the moral compass and "decider" for my own phone

 

[steve09090]

No interest at all in Apple being the moral compass and "decider" for my own phone

And there we go again, Clearly not understanding what is happening.

They are not the moral compass for your phone, they are the moral compass for the app store and the apps allowed on the phone. You signed up for that when you accepted terms and conditions. Just like you are your own moral compass for what you do in life.

 

[turbineseaplane]

And there we go again, Clearly not understanding what is happening.

They are not the moral compass for your phone, they are the moral compass for the app store and the apps allowed on the phone. You signed up for that when you accepted terms and conditions. Just like you are your own moral compass for what you do in life.

Steve

We disagree, it's ok

Porn is right there on Apple's safari browser -- always has been

A third party app store hosting a porn app isn't changing anything

Would take someone more time and effort to even install AltStore, let alone this specific App

They can just open Safari! lol

 

[2128506]

And there we go again, Clearly not understanding what is happening.

They are not the moral compass for your phone, they are the moral compass for the app store and the apps allowed on the phone. You signed up for that when you accepted terms and conditions. Just like you are your own moral compass for what you do in life.

How come they allow TikTok to be installed and used by kids?

It's much worse than some porn app somewhere. It will rot your brain and have waaay more immoral content. Not mentioning CCP-approved algorithms to condition its users.

But it is partly owned by a genocidal regime with a crapton of money and a wast market to sell to - so it's good then.

Double standards much?

 

[BBCWatcher]

Apple: Apps that let adults in their homes watch recordings of consenting adult actors having sex are BAD and DANGEROUS!

Also Apple: Hookup apps that help and encourage adults to leave the safety of their homes to have sex with random strangers — risking sexually transmitted diseases, sextortion, violence, pregnancy, and/or harsh penalties in repressive countries — are perfectly fine.

Obviously Apple's statement is utterly self-serving and has nothing to do with anybody else's interests.

 

[steve09090]

How come they allow TikTok to be installed and used by kids?

It's much more worse than some porn app somewhere.

Double standards much?

Because TikTok isn't made specifically for Porn. Come July it is being banned in Australia for kids, as is Facebook and Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram.

Violent scenes in porn is something I don't want kids to have easy access to, and apparently neither do Apple. Neither do Youtube, TikTok, Meta or Twitter. So where are the double standards? Saying it is double standards when you clearly don't understand their argument is meaningless.

Steve

We disagree, it's ok

Porn is right there on Apple's safari browser -- always has been

A third party app store hosting a porn app isn't changing anything

Would take someone more time and effort to even install AltStore, let alone this specific App

They can just open Safari! lol

No I get it. We do disagree. You don't think kids are restricted now and don't believe it's worth trying to protect them. I think it's worth trying to protect kids... But we are all wired differently I guess. Either that or you continue not to understand the problem here. I hope it's the latter, because otherwise we have a problem.

Apple: Apps that let adults in their homes watch recordings of consenting adult actors having sex are BAD and DANGEROUS!

Also Apple: Hookup apps that help and encourage adults to leave the safety of their homes to have sex with random strangers — risking sexually transmitted diseases, sextortion, violence, pregnancy, and/or harsh penalties in repressive countries — are perfectly fine.

Obviously Apple's statement is utterly self-serving and has nothing to do with anybody else's interests.

So you didn't read the original post then? It is 100% about risk to children not adults.

 

[amartinez1660]

This is fantastic.
Maybe Apple should just leave it all be, meaning to completely get rid of this part: “apps distributed outside of the App Store in the EU have to go through Apple's Notarization process, it only checks for malware, fraud, and other egregious issues.”

Let apps roam free without checks of any sort, that way they can’t say “Apple approved” (hyperbole for it “passed Apple’s sanity checks).
That’s what people want anyways, full app freedom.

(To clarify, I got no horse in this race, I’m not in the EU hence do not use EU app stores).

 

[2128506]

It is 100% about risk to children not adults.

"Think about the children" (™)

Favorite excuse for censorship and virtue signaling.

 

[awshucks]

adults should be allowed to enjoy what they want. It’s like saying driving a car is bad because a toddler might accidentally get locked inside a car by themselves.

Even from an adult perspective, it’s poison. Worst mistake I’ve ever made.

 

[steve09090]

"Think about the children" (™)

Favorite excuse for censorship and virtue signaling.

Yeah, I think child safety is important.

This is fantastic.
Maybe Apple should just leave it all be, meaning to completely get rid of this part: “apps distributed outside of the App Store in the EU have to go through Apple's Notarization process, it only checks for malware, fraud, and other egregious issues.”

Let apps roam free without checks of any sort, that way they can’t say “Apple approved” (hyperbole for it “passed Apple’s sanity checks).
That’s what people want anyways, full app freedom.

(To clarify, I got no horse in this race, I’m not in the EU hence do not use EU app stores).

I agree. But I don't think they should be responsible for checking for malware either. If people side-load from a source they trust then that's on them. They can take the phone into an authorised dealer and get it re-flashed for a fee.

adults should be allowed to enjoy what they want. It’s like saying driving a car is bad because a toddler might accidentally get locked inside a car by themselves.

I went to a job once (ex-CSI) because a 3 year old was left in a car in 40°C (105°F) day in Australia and the mother went to get something quickly from the shops. 15minutes later... Kid would have died if someone hadn't have smashed the window and got the kid out. So yeah, I notice my car always says "check the back seat" when I leave my car. Safety is important and the manufacturer can only try. If Apple didn't try people would call them Google.

 

[acader]

Do they approve of people typing in adult site URLs on Safari?

It is not the same analogy. 1. Apple did not create the porn site. 2. Apple did not publish the link 3. Apple did not promote the site. 4. User found the link / site and decided to use Safari / Firefox / Chrome to visit the site. So the actions are entirely in the control of the user.

In the app case, the third party App Store is hosting and maybe promoting the app as well. Secondly, the third-party App Store falsely claiming that it is an "Apple approved app" is a blatant lie.

 

[newyorksole]

all this chatter over some dang porn good grief…

 

[ronno]

Apple does not approve of the "Hot Tub" pornography app that was released for the iPhone in the EU using alternative app distribution, Apple said in a statement to MacRumors. Further, Apple is concerned about the potential user safety risks with a pornography app, and says that it undermines consumer trust in the Apple ecosystem.

Apple's statement references the first native iOS pornography app that is available through AltStore, an alternative app marketplace in the European Union. Apple is required to allow app marketplaces in the EU by the Digital Markets Act, and Apple has little control over the kinds of apps that are distributed through the marketplaces.

In marketing for the app, AltStore referred to Hot Tub as "the first Apple-approved porn app," and Apple has taken issue with the wording. While all apps distributed outside of the App Store in the EU have to go through Apple's Notarization process, it only checks for malware, fraud, and other egregious issues. Notarization does not limit content, and apps sideloaded on the iPhone in the EU can have pornography, references to drugs and alcohol, hate speech, and other content that would not be permitted under the App Store rules.

Post by @altstore@fosstodon.org View on Mastodon ​

Apple's Notarization guidelines actually prohibit apps from implying that Apple "endorses any particular representation regarding quality or functionality" of any app or app marketplace in the EU, so AltStore has seemingly violated Apple's Notarization rules.

Apple wants to make it clear that the Hot Tub pornography app is available because European Commission has forced Apple to allow AltStore and other alternative app marketplaces to exist in the EU, even though Apple has warned multiple times that the DMA would make objectionable, harmful, and illicit content available to consumers.

Apple says that it expressed concerns about the upcoming pornography app in December, but the European Commission hasn't made a move to stop it from being distributed.

Update: Following Apple's statement, Epic Games has clarified that it does not offer Hot Tub or other porn apps through the Epic Games Store in the EU. For clarity, Epic Games did give AltStore a "MegaGrant" that allows it to distribute apps like Hot Tub for free.

Article Link: Apple Says It Doesn't Approve of EU Porn App

I guess one of us should to let Apple know that most people find porn with the browser…Guess they’ll need to delete Safari to keep the Apple customers safe.

 

[PlayUltimate]

The Chinese government has a safe and closed environment for their own citizens, along the same lines. Is that what you really want?

Apple should wise up to the fact that many many adults watch porn. It should be an individual choice.

agreed. . . but do you really need a native app for that? Isn't Safari et al sufficient?

 

[steve09090]

I guess one of us should to let Apple know that most people find porn with the browser…Guess they’ll need to delete Safari to keep the Apple customers safe.

Read the post again and stop focusing on the porn. It isn't about that. It's about the risk to child safety.

agreed. . . but do you really need a native app for that? Isn't Safari et al sufficient?

Nah, they need direct access to their favourite category instead of having to search. Too many people protesting too much.

 

[Rainbow Apple]

[T]hey simply don’t want their products and intellectual property associated with porn apps

If I use a porn app on my own computer (and smartphones are handheld computers), that means the the computer's manufacturer is associated with porn apps?

 

[Big_D]

If Apple kept its mouth shut, 99% of people wouldn’t even notice that there were alt stores anyway.

I never understood the fighting over this, give the small handful of users who want an alt store what they want, don’t protest and shout from the roof top that they are out there and 99% of their store revenue would probably still be safe, but fewer people would be moaning about it and drawing attention to the situation and they wouldn’t be spending millions on lawyers unnecessarily…

 

[BBCWatcher]

So you didn't read the original post then? It is 100% about risk to children not adults.

Yes, absolutely, Apple and government authorities should take reasonable steps to protect children. Therefore Apple will immediately yank the objectively riskier sex hookup apps such as Tinder, Bumble, and Grindr from their App Store because unfortunately some children use them, and thus some adults criminally sexually assault those children. In real life, physically.

Apple will get right on that, correct?

 

[steve09090]

Yes, absolutely, Apple and government authorities should take reasonable steps to protect children. Therefore Apple will immediately yank the objectively riskier sex hookup apps such as Tinder, Bumble, and Grindr from their App Store because unfortunately some children use them, and thus some adults criminally sexually assault those children. In real life, physically.

Apple will get right on that, correct?

I didn't realise you could see porn on those sites...

HotTub, the distributor of the app doesn't have age verification for the Porn App. Do you think that is okay?

 

[Nozuka]

Apple should have built an Age check into iOS years ago and then this wouldn't be a problem at all. And they could also offer these apps in their own Store without any problems.

 

[steve09090]

Apple should have built an Age check into iOS years ago and then this wouldn't be a problem at all. And they could also offer these apps in their own Store without any problems.

Yeah Apple should be everyones parents... geesh

 

[BBCWatcher]

I didn't realise you could see porn on those sites...

You're joking, right? On the Apple App Store, right now, many sex hookup apps are available. Those apps reportedly support, even encourage, "sexting." Sex hookup apps aren't only about some minors who might see a recording of adults having sex. They're also about some minors sending explicit recordings of themselves and being sexually assaulted when they meet through the sex hookup apps. And it's revolting when it happens. Anybody preying on children needs to be investigated and criminally prosecuted.

So where's your outrage about the sex hookup apps? Where's Apple's? If Apple really has any logical argument based on protecting children then Apple would ban the sex hookup apps in their App Store as Step #1. I hope we can all agree that children seeing recordings of adults having sex is bad, but children being sexually assaulted is worse.

HotTub, the distributor of the app doesn't have age verification for the Porn App. Do you think that is okay?

What's Apple's age verification for the sex hookup apps Apple distributes from their App Store? If the answer is, "The same age verification as AltStore applies" then Apple has no legitimate argument here. Apple is simply making a self-serving argument because Apple wants exclusive distribution of apps (including sex hookup apps) for commercial reasons.

By the way, Apple is distributing Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) app in their App Store. The (ironically named) X app will show you a ton of pornography with no meaningful age verification if that's what you want to see.