Has Apple Banned Grindr? Does Grindr App Comply With New Guidelines Of The Company?
On Monday, Apple amended its App Store Review Guidelines, clarifying certain current standards and adding new app criteria. Guideline 1.1.4, for example, prohibits "hookup" applications that include pornography or are used to encourage prostitution. Some saw that exact adjustment after the rules went live as an indication that Apple might tighten down on gay dating apps like Grindr or Scruff. No. In a report, Apple has stated that a recent modification to its App Store criteria is primarily aimed at criminal applications that use dating as a cover, and that genuine applications like Grindr would not be banned. Apple also informed AppleInsider that the policy was never intended to apply to such apps. Instead, Apple claims that the policy was put in place to prevent the growth of applications that were not real dating sites. Apps that exploited dating as a cover for pornography, prostitution, or human trafficking, in other words. The App Store has never permitted apps that purposefully display pornography or encourage prostitution. The policy change is only a codification of such policies. Apple explained that the modification was made in response to recent scam software innovations, which it intended to prevent from spreading throughout the App Store. Casual dating apps like Grindr and Scruff, which have been properly functioning on the App Store for years, will not be affected by guideline 1.1.4, according to Apple. The business made it clear that dating preferences are not prohibited under its App Review standards. A component of Apple's Legal rules has been amended to contain additional wording focused on human trafficking, in addition to rule 1.1.4, which occurs in the "Safety" part of the Review Guidelines. This modification clarifies that applications that facilitate human trafficking or child exploitation will be denied, and Apple will alert the proper authorities. Grindr is a gay, bi, trans, and queer social networking and online dating app that is focused on location. When it originally launched in March 2009, it was one of the first geosocial applications for gay guys, and it has since grown to become the world's largest and most popular homosexual mobile app. It is accessible in both free and paid versions on iOS and Android smartphones (the latter dubbed Grindr XTRA and Grindr Unlimit). IMAGE: LAURENZ HEYMANN UNSPLASH