Streaming service Roku is the latest tech company to follow Apple’s lead in banning right wing conspiracy website InfoWars from its platform.
Apple booted podcasts from the website off its platform back in September, following by banning InfoWars and host Alex Jones from the App Store. These decisions prompted other tech companies such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter to follow in its footsteps. Now they have been joined by Roku.
Apple’s decision to boot five of far-right conspiracy theory website InfoWars’ podcasts off its platform was the trigger for Facebook doing the same with several of host Alex Jones’ pages on the social network.
The factoid was revealed in a new profile of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, published in the New Yorker. Apple has since banned Jones from the App Store permanently.
Alex Jones and Infowars Official have been permanently banned from the iOS App Store.
An Apple spokesperson said it was because company guidelines prohibit software that’s “offensive, insensitive, upsetting, intended to disgust or in exceptionally poor taste.”
Earlier this week, Apple booted five of Infowars‘ six podcasts out of iTunes and its Podcasts app, but made the decision to keep the company’s app in the App Store.
In a statement, Apple has said that it continues to support “all points of view” being represented in the App Store, but notes that it will continue to review the situation.
Apple has removed the entire back catalog for five of far-right conspiracy theory website InfoWars’ six podcasts on iTunes and its Podcasts app. One of these shows is the daily “War Room” show hosted by owner and radio host Alex Jones.
The podcasts were removed due to their breaking of Apple’s hate speech guidelines. It comes as part of a concerted effort by Silicon Valley to cut down on the spread of so-called “fake news” online.
