An app called HKmap Live has been banned from the iTunes App Store after Apple informed the developers that the app enabled users to locate where the police were and avoid law enforcement.
KotakuInAction 2 picked up the news from MacRumors, who in turn quoted a piece that linked to a tweet from the HKmap Live developers. The developers revealed the notice they received from Apple indicating that the app was banned because it allowed users to see where police were located on the map and potentially evade law enforcement.
Interestingly enough, the developers believe that this may be a “bureaucratic” oversight and that it’s not really about “censorship”.
The tweets from the account were posted on October 1st, 2019, where they state the following…
“Your app contains content – or facilitates, enables, and encourages an activity – that is not legal … Specifically, the app allowed users to evade law enforcement.”@Apple assume our user are lawbreakers and therefore evading law enforcement, which is clearly not the case.
— HKmap.live 全港抗爭即時地圖 (@hkmaplive) October 1, 2019
Read this if you don’t know how “illegal assembly” works in #HK https://t.co/SSqJ3NzMpn
Just like Waze, people get notified of traffic cam ahead, so they can slow down. No one is breaking any law.
— HKmap.live 全港抗爭即時地圖 (@hkmaplive) October 2, 2019
Trying to reason them, no reply yet. Wonder they will ban Waze for evading traffic cams lol.
— HKmap.live 全港抗爭即時地圖 (@hkmaplive) October 2, 2019
One of the Pinboard operators chimed in stating that they would contact someone at Apple to help expedite the process.
Talking to friends at Apple to try to escalate this
— Pinboard (@Pinboard) October 2, 2019
But what’s interesting is that the ban didn’t come from Apple’s China division, nor did it come from mainland China. It came from someone on the West coast, specifically in the Pacific Standard Timezone.
Don’t think so, reviewer seems to be in PST timezone.
— HKmap.live 全港抗爭即時地圖 (@hkmaplive) October 2, 2019
In plain ‘ole English, this means that the ban likely came from a pro-Communist working out of Apple’s Cupertino, California offices.
There has been an increase in censorship on how the Hong Kong protests have been handled by big tech, with many firms opting to censor discussion or any mention of the protests, which is what happened when a user tried bringing up the topic in VRChat only to be met with a ban.
This is all happening while violence continues to escalate in Hong Kong, as demonstrated in the video by RT.
MacRumors also points out that this isn’t even the first time that Apple tried cozying up to the PRC. Back in 2017 they also removed all the VPNs from the iTunes App Store after a regulation made it where the Chinese Ministry of Culture had to authorize all newly released apps on public app stores.
Meanwhile, while the protests in Hong Kong continue on and the people fight for freedom from tyranny, you can still get your hands on the HKmap Live from over on the Google Play store page.
(Thanks for the news tip msoltysple)
(Main image courtesy of SCMP)