Apple Will Not Distribute 'Porn' and Other Inappropriate Content

[polaris20]

Yeah we get it, you hate the USA. No matter what is done here nothing will satisfy you.

Your argument however is silly.

His argument is far from silly, and I'm sure he doesn't hate the US. The US (nor Apple) shouldn't be able to deem what is morally acceptable and not. That's up to the person/parent of person, not the government or company.

In Europe, women walk around without a top on at the beach. Here, it's an outrageous concept. How would you interpret that as anything but prudish?

 

[mrkgoo]

Note, nudity does not equal porn.

 

[displaced]

There is no difference between looking at a naked woman lustfully or looking at a fully dressed woman lustfuly.

Good job Apple... I was getting a little worried.

Poppycock.

(well, judging by the way this thread is going, perhaps I should use a less risqué-sounding exclamation – balderdash, for instance).

I think my girlfriend would be rather disappointed if I completely removed opportunities to feel lustful from my life. And I dare say she'd say the same.

Lust is part of the human condition – it should be revelled in, not used as an excuse for being an adulterer.

 

[polaris20]

Note, nudity does not equal porn.

Unfortunately in the US it is often interpreted as such. For example, Playboy features naked women in it. To me, it's not offensive, however to others it's "pornography exploiting women and their bodies". Nevermind that no one forced them to do it, and they were paid well to do nothing but stand in front of a camera naked.

 

[Mr. B]

... are people seriously saying that *lust* is bad?

hate to say it (not really though), but without some good old fashioned lust most of us wouldn't exist.

 

[holden15]

Conan joked about this on the Tonight Show saying "You no longer have to have two separate devices for watching porn."

 

[WestonHarvey1]

Freedom

I'm thinking a lot of people here (especially the European posters) do not really understand the American idea of freedom.

Freedom means you get to choose what to do. You get to choose what to buy and what to sell. You get to choose how to run your company. If you don't like something, you don't have to do it. No one can make you.

I'm sure in some places in the world, a government passing a law forcing McDonalds to include pornography in every Happy Meal in order to foster "sex-positive" ideas in children would go over well and be seen as a win for "freedom".

But that's not how it works here. I hope this lesson has been helpful.

 

[HyperZboy]

Apple has done nothing to limit anyone's access to pornography. They are simply exercising their freedom to sell the products they wish to sell.

Nobody is forcing you to sell porn, are they? No one is criticizing you for making the choice not to be in the porn business, are they? So why criticize Apple?

If Apple allowed other methods to put apps on the phone, your argument would make sense.

However, Apple does not, so that ruins your argument and proves it is clearly just a matter of CENSORSHIP.
You are not just buying an app from Apple, you are buying it through Apple's means of distribution, the same way Comcast In Demand allows you to buy adult content.

I think Apple has made a terrible decision here.
It was PORN after all that decided the battle of VHS over BETA remember?​

I don't think this decision will be as big a deal in the U.S., but I bet there's a huge backlash in less prudish countries in Europe. In fact, I think most Europeans will find this decision to restrict "booby pics" as laughably dumb on Apple's part.

Now we return you to your regularly scheduled Apple Fanboy YAYfest........
( Pardon the interruption )

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Ahh, censorship in the morning... gotta love it.

Seriously, if I, as an adult, are allowed to listen to explicit e-books, podcasts, music, and videos, all on my iPhone, why is an application so much worse?

Seriously, if I can go to Wal*Mart and buy a gun and go shoot a deer, which I then cook and eat for dinner, why aren't I allowed to buy a porn application too?

 

[wolfshades]

If Apple allowed other methods to put apps on the phone, your argument would make sense.

However, Apple does not, so that ruins your argument and proves it is clearly just a matter of CENSORSHIP.
You are not just buying an app from Apple, you are buying it through Apple's means of distribution, the same way Comcast In Demand allows you to buy adult content.

I think Apple has made a terrible decision here.
It was PORN after all that decided the battle of VHS over BETA remember?​

I don't think this decision will be as big a deal in the U.S., but I bet there's a huge backlash in less prudish countries in Europe. In fact, I think most Europeans will find this decision to restrict "booby pics" as laughably dumb on Apple's part.

Now we return you to your regularly scheduled Apple Fanboy YAYfest........
( Pardon the interruption )

I'm an Apple fanboi (it's fanboi by the way, not fanboy) and I approve this message.



Seriously though: though I disagree with their decision, I'm not sure it's that big a deal. Viewing naughty bits on the iPhone is a bit of a letdown, even in Safari (*cough* so I'm told *cough*). I'd rather see it on my 24" iMac.

Or better still on my GIGANTIC HD Plasma TV with sensuous surround sound. The pink hues are ever so much more awesome.

 

[gkarris]

I think that was a good move by apple, keepin the app store clean

LOL...

And meanwhile, you can get "The Heartbreak Kid" (saw, and yes, by definition, it has porn, as R-rated comedies are really now X) and "Zack and Miri Make Porn" (didn't see as after that other movie - no more R-rated comedies for me) at the iTunes Store....

 

[WestonHarvey1]

Sorry

If Apple allowed other methods to put apps on the phone, your argument would make sense.

However, Apple does not, so that ruins your argument and proves it is clearly just a matter of CENSORSHIP.

Nope, not ruined. Barring any government antitrust intervention, Apple can also choose how their device runs third party software. Totally separate issue.

You are not just buying an app from Apple, you are buying it through Apple's means of distribution, the same way Comcast In Demand allows you to buy adult content.

Nope, Apple really is selling the apps. When you buy my app, you buy it from Apple. You give them your money and they bank it. Apple eventually writes me a check for my cut.

Now we return you to your regularly scheduled Apple Fanboy YAYfest........
( Pardon the interruption )

Not an Apple fanboy. I'm a freedom fanboy.

 

[lamadude]

I'm thinking a lot of people here (especially the European posters) do not really understand the American idea of freedom.

Freedom means you get to choose what to do. You get to choose what to buy and what to sell. You get to choose how to run your company. If you don't like something, you don't have to do it. No one can make you.

I'm sure in some places in the world, a government passing a law forcing McDonalds to include pornography in every Happy Meal in order to foster "sex-positive" ideas in children would go over well and be seen as a win for "freedom"
But that's not how it works here. I hope this lesson has been helpful.

Wow, that's ridiculous. Freedom in Europe is seen as pretty much the same thing as freedom in the US. Europe is not some communist place where the governement decides what you can do, it's based on the same freedom and capitalism as the US. And what about the personal freedom to watch porn on your iphone? The app developpers do NOT get to choose wat they sell and the customers can't chose what they buy because of apple insisting on checking every app. I have no problem with that but it's not "freedom" for anyone but apple.

The big difference is that Europe would sooner censor a movie for violence than for porn and the US the other way around.

 

[masse]

flash for iphone more important.


free porn for all

 

[Jason Lee]

Steve can do whatever he wants with his company, but whether you agree or disagree with his position, you have to understand that this is censorship.

Places like Barnes and Noble and FYE sell adult material, so how is the App Store any different? I mean, I don't think "adult" apps should be displayed next to Super Monkey Ball, any more than LOLITA should be in the childrens' section.

 

[rockosmodurnlif]

(.)(.)

Tits! OMG! Censor!

 

[tgildred]

this comment is in line with extremist muslims who claim women must cover themselves in order not to get raped.

Really??

It could also have a huge backlash since the USA is one of the most backward, prudish countries in terms of what is considered "appropriate" content.

Really????

 

[displaced]

I'm thinking a lot of people here (especially the European posters) do not really understand the American idea of freedom.

Freedom means you get to choose what to do. You get to choose what to buy and what to sell. You get to choose how to run your company. If you don't like something, you don't have to do it. No one can make you.

I'm sure in some places in the world, a government passing a law forcing McDonalds to include pornography in every Happy Meal in order to foster "sex-positive" ideas in children would go over well and be seen as a win for "freedom".

But that's not how it works here. I hope this lesson has been helpful.

Hey, I wasn't demanding anything from Apple. Like you say, they are free to run their business however they see fit (just like businesses are in Europe - your porno-Happy Meal jibe is patently ridiculous and shows an equally off-base view of Europe as that which you suggest Europeans may have of the USA).

My suggestion that Apple simply adheres to statute and jurisprudence was intended to actually ease the burden of app approvals and provide a solid standard to which developers can refer and adhere.

Stating up-front that illegal material is not allowed should be the most logical and straighforwad approach. Other content would simply be flagged so that they can be filtered out by each user's personal preference. Simple.

By saying that both illegal material and (otherwise perfectly legal) porn would be disallowed seems like an ill-advised move into the murky world of arbitrary rule-making - the end result being ill-defined and randomly-applied rules. Not good for producers, consumers, or Apple themselves, since they're placing themselves as the defender of rules which they themselves cannot fully express.

 

[aristotle]

that's so progressive of you, apple.

1. this comment is in line with extremist muslims who claim women must cover themselves in order not to get raped. be aware that most of us have what's known as "self control".
2. Mobile Safari is great for porn searches!

Wow. The irony. Porn is most prevalent in the most repressed countries (ie. English speaking countries).

To put in terms that you might understand, countries where nudity is considered dirty has the largest market for porn.

Being a supporter of porn does not make you progressive but rather a person who does not value women at all. Porn causes men to objectify women rather.

In some other cultures, nudity is not seen as lewd but rather a natural state. Do you shower with your clothes on?

I have to laugh at people who are big supporters of porn but insist on wearing clothes while in a Sauna. I guess they just like to watch.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

Listen to yourself

Wow, that's ridiculous. Freedom in Europe is seen as pretty much the same thing as freedom in the US. Europe is not some communist place where the governement decides what you can do, it's based on the same freedom and capitalism as the US. And what about the personal freedom to watch porn on your iphone? The app developpers do NOT get to choose wat they sell and the customers can't chose what they buy because of apple insisting on checking every app. I have no problem with that but it's not "freedom" for anyone but apple.

The big difference is that Europe would sooner censor a movie for violence than for porn and the US the other way around.

Not "freedom" for anyone but Apple?

If you can't even see what you just said and how it shows the difference between our nations I don't know what else I can say.

 

[Sambo110]

Thank god. I hope they let in a bit more "mature" games, but porn could be really bad for the iPhone and iPod Touch. How many parents would buy an iPod where you could download porn apps.

 

[sbrhwkp3]

Fine with me... there are plenty of free porn sites optimized for iPhone..

 

[Queso]

LOL. This is getting funny. Let's all wrap ourselves up in flags and go on about how good we are

 

[aristotle]

I'm thinking a lot of people here (especially the European posters) do not really understand the American idea of freedom.

Freedom means you get to choose what to do. You get to choose what to buy and what to sell. You get to choose how to run your company. If you don't like something, you don't have to do it. No one can make you.

I'm sure in some places in the world, a government passing a law forcing McDonalds to include pornography in every Happy Meal in order to foster "sex-positive" ideas in children would go over well and be seen as a win for "freedom".

But that's not how it works here. I hope this lesson has been helpful.

You really don't get it do you? You seem to think that freedom is something America invented. Porn is not an example of freedom but rather an artifact of a sexually repressed society. It is a self destructive outlet for sexual interest which leads ultimately towards shame, self-destructive behavior and objectification of the gender in question. It is really no different than alcoholism, drug use, glue sniffing or over eating. People try to console their loneliness with pictures of strangers instead of reaching out to people in the real world.

 

[NinjaHERO]

How is it an anti-freedom move, again, for them to exercise THEIR FREEDOM to decide what they will sell? Someone please explain this to me because I'm having a lot of trouble getting it.

Censorship, no matter the reason, is anti-freedom of information. Hopefully that explains things for you.

And I clearly said it's their store and they have every right to censor.