When there are complaints about censorship in the App Store, it’s usually developers arguing that Apple shouldn’t have removed a particular app for infringing on its often-vague user guidelines.
Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban had something else in mind, however, when he sent a series of tweets claiming that Apple should boot Twitter off the App Store — until the social networking company finds a way of better removing “objectionable” material from its service.
1) So how come Apple hasn’t removed twitter from their app store for violating the UGC & Personal Attack terms ? pic.twitter.com/dXClFu0cmC
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) December 10, 2015
Cuban didn’t state exactly what he was taking issue with on Twitter, although there has been plenty in the news lately about terrorist groups such as ISIS using the tool to recruit members, along with the still-continuing “harassment” claims described in books like Jon Ronson’s So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed?
Cuban’s initial tweet featured a photo he had taken of Apple’s App Store Review Guidelines, highlighting the section on “Personal Attacks” and “Violence.”
These politics involve the suggestion that: “Apps that display user generated content must include a method for filtering objectionable material, a mechanism for users to flag offensive content, and the ability to block abusive users from the service.”
The entrepreneur also got into a debate with several Twitter users taking issue with his assertion.
Personally, I think the issue of censorship on Twitter is a thorny issue. Use of the network to spread terroristic messages should definitely be curtailed, but the idea of making it into a safe space by blocking dissenting opinions on issues could also set a dangerous precedent.
While I understand the logic of trying to force Twitter’s hand by threatening (or trying to help bring about) an Apple-led ban on the Twitter app, I don’t want to see any possible censorship taking place at a speeded-up rate just to get the app back in the App Store.
Do you agree with Mark Cuban here? Leave your comments below.
Via: CNN Money
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
10 responses to “Mark Cuban wants Apple to boot Twitter out of the App Store”
The whole concept of “safe spaces” like what is being encouraged at universities nationwide is alarming and dangerous. It is just a step away from authoritarianism and despotism. Part of the factionalism and partisanship we encounter today is because it is already too easy to be shielded from other points of view. However it is to be expected in post modernism where the cult of self takes center stage.
The funny thing is that the tactics he’s complaining about (public shaming, personal attacks, etc.) are the same tactics used by those who want these types of “safe spaces.” You’d think that there would be little support for an idea like this one. In the end, banning Twitter (or similar) won’t have any meaningful effect on the activities people like him are complaining about because people will find another avenue or another euphemism.
Hopefully some sanity will start swinging the proverbial pendulum back from the edge soon.
It seems to me that Twitter complies with Section 14.3. There are settings to mark tweets as sensitive and warn you about sensitive tweets, you can report any tweet as offensive, and you can block any users you want. It sounds like Cuban wants Twitter to police its users instead of them policing themselves which sets a bad precedent.
Apple is just a distribution point for the app, Apple can’t monitor the discussions on the app, that’s Twitter’s responsibility. Same thing with YouTube. YouTube you can report certain things, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve run into children that aren’t supposed to be on YouTube making dumb comments. Heck, there are questionable videos that discuss how to do things that are questionable in the legality of what they are telling users to do, but there’s no way to report those videos. How many videos on YouTube discuss how to install OS X on a PC, when that’s a violation of Apple’s licensing agreement? Or how to hack into applications, games, etc.?
Mark Cuban owns a big stake in a competitor to Twitter called CyberDust. So if he can get rid of Twitter his investment will be more profitable.
Bingo
Cuban isn’t exactly without saying things that are questionable on Shark Tank. How many people over the years have been berated on Shark Tank? And that’s OK?
I was thinking there was something like this behind his comments. Thanks for clarifying.
As @Ham and @marcintosh:disqus point out, the argument is weak and Cuban has a conflict of interest here. This is a weak publicity stunt at best. Every twitter user has full control over what they see and don’t see WRT to user generated content.
What’s next, ban the email app? :)
No, they’ll want to ban Safari! You can get the whole internet in that app!
Makes me wonder, would Apple approve an app that featured hardcore porn and hate speech, even if it gave users the option to turn that content on or off? If not, why would it approve Twitter , since it does exactly that? (Yeah, I know that sounds ridiculous on the face of it, but think about it.)