APPLE’S BRUTAL SUPPRESSION OF FREE SPEECH: WHY APPSTUN’S DEVELOPER ACCOUNT WAS TERMINATED
In a shocking move, Apple has censored a young mobile app company, Appstun, by terminating its developer account. The company, founded by two students who won Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference 2021, was creating innovative watch faces for Apple Watch users. But Apple, in its infinite wisdom, deemed Appstun’s app "deceptive" and "fraudulent," citing vague App Store guidelines.
APPLE’S HYPOCRISY: FREE TO SCAM, BUT NOT TO INNOVATE
Meanwhile, Apple has long tolerated and even enabled scam apps on its platform. Remember NGL, the teen questions app that raked in millions by scamming its users? The US Federal Trade Commission finally stepped in to ban the app from marketing to minors, but Apple should have caught the scam earlier. And what about Fleksy, the keyboard app that lost revenue to scammers? Apple’s lax enforcement of its own guidelines allowed these scams to flourish.
APPLE’S DOUBLE STANDARDS: INNOVATORS VS. SCAMMERS
Why did Apple single out Appstun, a young and innovative company, while ignoring or enabling more egregious scams on its platform? Is it because Appstun was pushing the boundaries of innovation, while scammers were exploiting the system? Apple’s actions stifle competition and creativity, while protecting its own interests.
APPLE’S POWER PLAY: USING ITS MONOPOLISTIC POSITION TO SILENCE OPPONENTS
By terminating Appstun’s developer account, Apple exercises its monopolistic power to silence opponents and maintain its stranglehold on the app ecosystem. This move undermines the very principles of innovation and competition that Apple claims to promote.
IS APPLE’S SUPPRESSION OF FREE SPEECH A CRIME?
Is Apple’s termination of Appstun’s developer account a form of censorship, aimed at silencing dissenting voices? Should regulators take notice of Apple’s abuse of power and monopolistic practices? The answer is clear: Apple’s actions are a slap in the face to innovation, free speech, and the very principles of democracy.
